Eternal Sacrifices
by Golden Vampire Eyes
Summary: "I'll never hurt you," I should have known when the words left his lips; he was lying. Liars will do anything to get what they want, no matter the cost, and I've made my eternal sacrifices that no amount of time will ever heal, not even eternity.
1. Prologue

_**Prologue **_

The lights were dim and the room was silent. Working in a library has it's bonuses, but the long shifts were killing me more than ever. Each day I felt like my head was spinning downward in a spiral. How much more could I take before I would finally break? I sighed aloud, startling myself at the sudden noise. The eerily quiet library was starting to get on my nerves. Thinking over the events of the past few years brought tears to my eyes. The lump in my throat attacked me harshly as the tears spilled over. After everything we had been through together, how could he do this to me? My mind was working overtime trying to comprehend how someone could lie to someone for 13 years, without a second thought. Everything we shared was a lie; every kiss, every touch, every night, every dream, all of our memories meant nothing. How did he hide it from everyone else? Something that big shouldn't be so easy to hide, but somehow he managed to pull it off and break my heart in the end. Maybe I should have knew this was coming? I had done nothing to deserve his kindness and attention, so this is my punishment. I had been selfish with him when I needed him most and it was coming back to haunt me. A low chuckle brought me out of my mourning as I looked up, shocked at the sight in front of me; nothing.

"Who's there?" I managed to croak out, my voice cracking. The library was completely empty, the only sound was the beating of my heart. There was nothing but silence. My mind must be playing tricks on me again, I sighed. Would I ever go back to normal? "Great, now I'm hearing things." The lights began to flicker on and off. My breath caught in my throat. Every time the lights would come back on, I would see Victoria, with her flaming red hair standing a few feet in front of me. They would turn back off and on again and there would be nothing there. My mind must really be playing tricks on me now. 6 hours of sleep was finally catching up to me.

"Poor, little, defenseless Bella." The voice high pitched and cut through the silence like glass. Great, now I was back to hearing things. The voices my head was playing with sounded so clear.

"Who's there? The library is closed." I called out, trying to sound brave. It was probably just some of the punk teenagers that liked to cause problems. My mind was fighting like hell to reassure me that I wasn't in any danger. I could hear the wind whip as a book flew towards my desk. It barely missed my head. My common sense was screaming for me to run as fast as I could for the door. I knew the book was flying to fast to be thrown from a normal person. My greatest fear was coming closer to being my reality. My breath caught in my lungs as the flash of red hair was in front of me. "Victoria." I cringed, my heart leaping to my feet.

"Time to meet your fate." She seethed, inching closer towards me. Her eyes were vibrant red, burning into my head; an image that I would never be able to erase. She was livid, that was very clear. I knew this truly was the end for me. There was no stopping her, I am weak and human. Jake wouldn't come save me after everything that just happened, and Edward was gone with the wind. After everything that I have gone through, I never imagined dying like this. I thought that the pack had scared her away when they killed Laurant. Maybe she'll make it quick and I'll be lucky? She inched closer and closer and I could feel myself slipping into the darkness of death.


	2. You do know how to ride a bike, right?

**NEW STORY**

**This one is going to be a crazy one. There's so much action packed into it, they should make a movie! Ha-Ha. Starts after Edward left Bella in New Moon. Jake is already a wolf and all that, and Bella already knows.**

_**"I can be your hero, baby  
>I can kiss away the pain<br>I will stand by you forever  
>You can take my breath away"<strong>_

_**(Hero- Enrique Iglesias)**_

**Title: You do know how to ride a bike, right?**

* * *

><p>The hole in my heart felt like it would never heal. My Edward was gone forever, and I had absolutely no traces of him left besides my dead memories. Another heart wrenching sob left my broken body. My bed was colder than ever as I lay alone. My heart would never heal from this. Edward was my everything. He was what gave my life meaning, and without him, I am nothing. My life had no meaning anymore.<p>

Charlie knocked on the door softly before stepping into my room. "Bells, you have got to stop this. You will end up killing yourself if you don't stop. You need to get back out there and see your friends." Charlie's voice filled with concern for me. He was never really good at being that comforting parent, but he tried his best. I wiped my tearstained face.

"What do you want me to do?" My voice was hoarse from crying. He fiddled with his flannel shirt anxiously. In the darkness, I could make out that it was the shirt Renee bought him their first Christmas together.

"I'm sending you to Florida to live with your mother. You can't just keep moping around here." I shot up quickly in my bed, making Charlie jump. It was probably the fastest movement that I have made in months.

"No, I don't want to leave. I love Forks. I'll start seeing my friends again, Dad. I'll go see Jacob right now. I haven't seen him in awhile." Charlie sighed with relief, coming over to my bedside and giving me a hug. I hugged him back softly. He shut my door behind him. It took everything in my body to get out of bed and change into different clothes. I pulled on a grey t-shirt with a blue flannel over it and jeans. I brushed through my dark hair. It looked more dull now than ever.

"Try and have a good time, Bella." Charlie said as he handed me the keys to my truck as I stepped off the last step. I nodded, heading towards my truck, trying my hardest not to slip. The drive to La Push kept my mind occupied from thinking about _him_.

Jacob had a huge grin on his face as I pulled up to his house. He met me at my door and opened it for me. "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes!" He hollered, picking me up in a hug and swinging me around. His body was heated from being a wolf. It was something I wasn't use to yet, but it felt good against my chilled skin. I attempted to laugh, but it wasn't easy to.

"Hey Jake." I managed to get out. He smiled gently at me.

"Let's do something crazy." He said, grabbing my arm and pulling me towards his house. He led me into the garage, where two BMX bikes sat. "You do know how to ride a bike, right?" He asked sarcastically. I gave him a slight eye roll.

"Yeah, I do." He pushed the yellow bike towards me. I got on the bike as he got on the red one. "You aren't going to try and kill me are you?" I asked him as we started off towards the forest. Jake's laugh filled the area around us.

"That just depends, what would kill you that already hasn't tried?" I actually managed to get out a real laugh. My heart felt lighter than it did earlier, like a weight had been lifted from it.

"Good point." He smirked at me as we weaved through the trees. It was surprising that I was actually staying on the bike without falling off. We rode through the forest for what felt like hours. Jake was good at making conversation with me, without bringing up something that would hurt my already broken heart. My front tire hit a big rock, sending me flipping over the handle bars and onto the dirt. My head ricocheted off of the moist dirt. Pain from the landing rushed through my body. Jake skidded to a stop and jumped off his bike, racing over to me.

"Jesus, Bella, are you okay?" He asked, helping me sit up. My head was hurting from the landing. I could feel something warm oozing down the side of my face. I knew it was blood the moment I inhaled.

"I'm sorry." I mumbled, looking away from Jake. He laughed softly, pulling off his shirt and wiping the side of my face.

"It's just a little blood, Bella. I'm not going to go crazy or anything." He joked softly. I looked back at him. His chest was even more defined with muscles than it was before his change. His tattoo had stretched from his bicep getting larger. It was easy to say that Jake looked good. I smiled, or at least I believe I smiled, towards him. Jake grinned back towards me, helping me to my feet.

"Thank you." I murmured, hugging him tightly. Jake wrapped his arms around me. The heat warmed my entire body.

"For what?" He whispered softly. I looked up at him. His soft brown eyes met mine.

"Being the sun in the darkness of the moon." I spoke softly, laying my head on his chest. I could feel Jake smile against my hair.

"Anytime." It felt right standing here with Jake. It felt like the world was finally falling back into place. My heart felt as if the pieces were coming back together, ever so slowly. We got back onto the bikes and headed towards his house. It wasn't far from being twilight outside. He helped me into my truck, leaning against the door as he shut it. "See you soon?" He asked. I nodded. He waved as I backed out from his dirt driveway. I waved back to him as I drove away. The hole in my heart stayed sealed as I drove home. I found if I thought about Jake, my heartache went away. I soon found myself thinking about him a lot more each day.

* * *

><p><strong>LATER<strong>

Days started to pass by quickly. I was finally happy again. Charlie was happy that I wasn't moping around all the time. My friends at school were happy that I was socializing with them again. We started making plans for going to the beach on the first day of summer, which would be coming up soon. Jake was either at my house everyday, or I was at his house. On the weekends, we spent from dawn till dusk together. At night, I'd still have my nightmares, but I kept to myself about them. When Jake wasn't around, I could feel the loneliness slowly start to creep around my aura.

The hole in my heart was completely stitched back together, for the most part. I changed my room from how it was, for a new start. The bed was positioned differently, as was everything else. Charlie and I had painted the walls purple instead of the blue they were. Everything was slowly starting to get better.

The door opened and I could smell Jake's musky scent. He greeted me with a smile and a hug. "Bella, I have something to tell you." He said, sitting on the couch. Charlie was gone for work and it was just us.

"Shoot away." I said, taking a seat next to him on the couch, facing towards him. Jake looked nervous. His fingers trembled as he reached for my hand.

"Bella…" He started off softly. My heart clenched, fearing that he would tell me he's leaving somewhere far away. "I imprinted on you." My heart immediately released the fear it was holding. I didn't have the entire concept of imprinting down packed, but I had a fairly good idea of how it worked. I knew if I was a wolf, I would have imprinted long ago, but I'm not sure it would work since vampires and werewolves are mortal enemies.

"Is that good or bad?" I asked him, apprehensively. His eyes filled with anxiousness as he grabbed my hand tighter in his large, warm ones.

"It depends. Are you ready to let go of your past and pursue a relationship with me?" Jake asked, nervously. I had to admit, it was quite adorable seeing Jacob so nervous. His eye brows wrinkled with his anticipation. My heartbeat raced as thoughts swarmed my mind. Was I really ready to let go of Edward? I grimaced at thinking his name, but it didn't make me cringe in pain.

Jake was absolutely amazing, and always there for me. It was easy to come to an answer. My nerve built up as I pulled him by his shirt, closer to me. Our lips met with a fiery passion. I took him by surprise, that was sure, but it wasn't long before he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me closer to him. His warm skin on mine felt amazing. It sent tingles through my entire body. When our lips met, it sent a feeling of shock through me. I didn't expect it to feel so…..right. It seems like the only person it would feel right with was Edward. With Jake, it felt so natural.

He laid down on the couch, pulling me into his arms. Casually, he turned on the T.V. I don't know how long we laid there for; seconds, minutes, hours? I just know it felt like everything on Earth was how it was meant to be. I felt as if all the planets and stars had aligned and everything was perfect once again.

The door opened and I could make out the sound of Charlie and Billy. Charlie must have picked up Billy after he got off of work. I looked at Jake for an answer on what to do. He shrugged, not moving at all, while I squirmed to get up. He held me tightly, keeping me from getting out of his arms. Billy rolled into the living room, stopping next to the couch with a creak. He smiled at Jake and I. His tan skin had very defined laugh lines and it showed wisdom written all over his face.

"I always knew." He laughed, knowingly. Charlie came in the living room, surprised to see Jake and I how we were, but he looked happy. My heart beat was fast as I examined over there faces again, looking for any signs of disapproval.

"Surprise?" I asked, looking at him nervously. Charlie laughed, his gruff, husky laugh and just shook his head.

"It's a good surprise. I'm happy for you Bells." I grinned at him. Charlie and Billy went into the kitchen, probably pulling out fish for dinner. Jake squeezed me softly. I smiled to myself and turned to face him on the couch. He kissed my lips gently, sending that same shock through my body. My life was finally being put back together.

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><p><strong>The end of chapter one! Hope you like the new story so far! REVIEW!<strong>

**Love GVE**


	3. Don't Make Me Use My Puppy Dog Eyes

_**"I am a moth who just wants to share your light,**_

_**I'm just an insect trying to get out of night.**_

_**I only stick with you because there are no others.**_

_**You are all I need."**_

_**(All I Need- Radiohead)**_

**Title: "Don't Make Me Use My Puppy Dog Eyes"**

* * *

><p>Jake and I had been together since March. March 16th, 2006 was the day that we got together, also the marking point of the six months that Edward had been gone. School finally was out and I passed my junior year with amazing grades. Senior year would go by fast, I was sure. So far, Jake and I had spent everyday together. I was spending a lot of time with the pack on La Push. The pack and I had become good friends. Embry always teases me for bringing Jake out of his shell and into the light. Quill and I always joke and make bets when the other guys get in fights. Jared and Paul are nice to me and we always can laugh and get along. Sam was accepting of me after realizing Jake imprinted on me. Leah and I became good friends after a couple weeks. She's really nice once you break into her shell. Emily and I became the best of friends and we always hung out while the boys and Leah went on runs.<p>

I felt myself being lifted off of Emily and Sam's couch. Jake threw me over his shoulder as he headed out the door with me kicking and squirming. "Where are you taking me?" I laughed, giving up the fight to get down.

"We, my dear, are going to Port Angeles to buy stuff." I laughed at the idea of Jake and I going shopping. He sat me down in the passenger seat of his Rabbit and he jumped over the car and got in the driver seat.

"What are we going to buy?" I asked, laying my head on his shoulder. Jake smiled at me.

"I don't know, whatever we want." He laughed. "I have about 100 bucks, and I want to get you something you want, and I'll buy myself something." I smiled at Jake softly.

"You don't have to get me anything, Jake." He put his finger on my lips, shushing me. I laughed softly, placing a kiss on the side of his finger. Jake smiled at me again, kissing my cheek.

We arrived at the mall in Port Angeles and Jake parked outside of a clothing store. I took his hand in mine as we walked throughout the store. I picked out a few things.

"Try them on." Jake suggested. I laughed, raising to my tiptoes.

"What for?" I asked playfully. Jake grinned and lifted me off my feet.

"Don't make me use my puppy dog eyes." He threatened, jokingly. I laughed as he put me down and headed off towards the changing room.

"You would do those too well!" I hollered at him from the changing room. I could hear his laughter as I changed into one of the outfits I had. It was a red baby doll and a pair of light washed blue jeans. I came back outside the changing room and Jake was sitting in one of the chairs waiting. Jake whistled at me, playfully as I modeled for him. Never in a million years would I have imagined myself modeling for Jacob Black, or just modeling clothing in a store, period. I guess being with Jake changed my confidence level and my personality became brighter. I modeled the other two outfits for him and he enjoyed the show. He paid for them and took my hand in his as we headed to a sports store.

"What are you going to buy here?" I asked him, looking at the weight lifting machines. I smirked, going and jumping on a stair climber. "Whew, this is a real workout." Jake laughed at me and shook his head before walking off towards the clothing section. I giggled to myself as I headed in the same direction he did. Jake picked out a couple pairs of basketball shorts and some t-shirts he wanted.

"I have a little over 30 dollars left. Is there anything else you want?" He asked, as we walked through the mall. I smiled brightly at him when I spotted the pet store. He groaned, wondering what I was up to.

"Can we buy a dog?" I asked him softly. Jake looked down at me with a smile. "Don't make me use my puppy dog eyes." I laughed, threatening him as he did me earlier. Jake laughed, grabbing my hand and heading in the store.

There was a little golden retriever for sale for 25$. It was hard to bargain with the sales associate, but since she was drooling over Jake and his muscles, we eventually got it down to 25. Jake bought him for me. I laughed holding the puppy in my arms. He was energetic, moving all over and licking my face. Jake smiled at me, lovingly.

"What are you going to name him, baby?" He asked as we got into the Rabbit. I put the puppy on my lap, looking down at him, then back over to Jake.

"Chase." I answered him, smiling. He looked at me questioningly. "That's his name because that's what you did. You chased me for a long time till it finally happened." Jake laughed, kissing me softly.

"What would I do without you, crazy lady." He smirked, driving back towards La Push.

"Throw a party of course." I giggled. Jake looked at me while feigning hurt. I giggled again, kissing his cheek. Chase barked softly, trying to laugh along with us. Life was really starting to become perfect for me.

Everyone in the pack loved Chase. He was an energetic little puppy. Quill taught him how to sit, shake, and roll over within a few hours.

"Must be a dog thing." I teased, laughing. Quill gave me the bird as he played with Chase on the floor of Sam and Emily's place. Everyone got a good laugh out of that joke.

"Are you excited for senior year Bella?" Seth asked me fondly. He was so young, but I felt like he knew so much about the wolves and the history involving them.

"I'm excited to get out of there," I laughed. "Can't get here soon enough." Jake smiled at me. He still had about a year and a half left, but with being a wolf, he got most of his work done between running patrols. The tribal school was very understanding.

As time passed on, everyone left Sam and Emily's house and retreated to their own. I had gotten sleepy, so Billy decided to call Charlie and let him know I'd be staying here for the night. Charlie seemed to take it well. His friendship with Billy is much deeper than anyone knows. Billy was there for him when he lost Renee. He helped hold him together, much like Jake has been holding me together these last few months.

Jake's bed wasn't very big, but we fit just perfectly with him holding me in his arms. It wasn't the same as when Edward held me. I mentally slapped myself for comparing Jake and Edward. I need to stop doing that, they aren't close to being the same even though they had similar qualities. Well, I guess I couldn't say that; Edward didn't love me; Jake does.

"What are you thinking about?" Jake whispered. His window was open and the air kept my flushed skin from breaking a sweat. It lit up his room and illuminated my pale skin. He was looking down at me, his eyes full of awe.

"Nothing in general." I mused sleepily. Jake hummed softly, stroking my hair with his free hand. I felt myself slowly start drifting off into a welcome slumber.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

**I'm not going to include everyday of their summer leading up to school starting, or everyday of senior year. It will be bits and pieces, if there is something you'd like to see specifically, PM me about it. **

_**July 2006**_

_**Title: Family Barbeques**_

* * *

><p>You know how they say time flies when your having fun? Well, it's true. I felt like I had flew right past these few months. School would be starting in the next month, summer was almost over, and today was Fourth of July.<p>

The Rez looked completely different from what it normally did. There were several long picnic tables set up with benches set up underneath them, red and blue banners hung from the trees, and Embry had set up a large table full of fireworks. There was country music playing from one of the tribe member's pick up truck. Men, women, and children were dancing and playing games that were set up. Sam went all out this year and even bought them a piñata. It's quite obvious that Emily and I were left to do the cooking. It wouldn't be fair to let any of the boys try and figure out how to make chicken parmesan.

Emily buzzed around her small kitchen in a frantic hurry to feed the hungry people. We had busted out all that we had since eleven in the morning. We made pasta salad, potato salad, macaroni salad, fish fry, t-bones, French fries, and of course; fried bread. We slaved ourselves in the kitchen to make sure the meals came out to be absolutely perfect. We also had to cook in great amounts for all the people and the packs giant appetites.

"I think it looks great." I said smiling at Emily. She grinned her up curved smile back at me as she finished getting the last of the fried bread out of the pan.

"Those boys will eat anything." She laughed, grabbing some of the food to take outside. I grabbed food and followed her suit. A group of hungry people engulfed us as we set the food down on the tables. I laughed, quickly moving out of the way. I scanned the crowd of people trying to find the face that I wanted to see. Jacob was teaching a small boy how to play catch. The sight warmed my heart as Jake tossed the small baseball back to the boy, who laughed and launched it back to him. He caught my eye and winked, causing my face to light on fire.

"Food is real good, Bells." Charlie said, taking another bite of his fish fry. I grinned. "You're a chip off the ole block." We both laughed at how true the statement was except when it came to cooking.

"Hard to believe the truth in what you said," I laughed, shaking my head. Charlie gave his normal gruff laugh.

"It's been real nice seein' you happy, Bells. I thought I lost you there for awhile." Charlie said, awkwardly looking off towards First Beach. He had never been good at expressing his emotions, but I had to give him credit for trying.

"I don't think the happiness is going anywhere anytime soon, Dad." I could see him smile out of the corner of my eye. That was the end of our conversation as Billy rolled up, kicking Charlie in the leg for taking so much fish fry. Seeing their friendship made me smile as the two older men rolled and messed with each other. The night progressed on with much more dancing, a few fireworks set off early from Seth's impatient self.

I felt the pair of strong, warm arms wrap around my waist. I smiled, leaning my head back onto Jake's strong chest. He rested his chin on my shoulder, kissing my collar bone softly.

"This feels so right, Bella. I'm so happy I finally imprinted on you and that we get to spend this life together. Everyday, I feel so incredibly lucky to have someone amazing like you." His soft words brought tears to my eyes as I turned to look up at him. His molten brown eyes were filled with the purest love that I've ever seen. He skimmed his thumb across my cheek, wiping some escaped tears. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you upset." He said, guilt written all over his face. Upset? How could someone be upset at those words? Silly Jacob, I sighed inwardly to myself. Quickly, my hands cupped each side of his face, making him look directly at me as he wound his arms around my waist again, holding me close.

"Don't ever think that when you say something so sweet that I'm crying because I'm upset. Jake, these are the first happy tears I've cried in the longest time. You make me so happy. I'm the true lucky one here." I whispered softly, laying my head on his chest. He kissed the top of my head and I could feel him smile. He pulled me back so he could look at me.

"Could I have this dance?" I hadn't noticed that a slower, more romantic song had started from the upbeat ones. I blushed furiously.

"You know I can't dance."

"Just trust me, please." His sweet smile was too hard to resist. Unwillingly, I let myself be pulled to where the others were dancing. The song had a slow soft melody with a nice beat in the background. "This is ours." Jake led me, spinning me once, before letting us sway with my head on his chest. I listened closely to the song.

_You've been livin' way too long,_  
><em>In broken-promise land.<em>  
><em>Your dreams crushed an' scattered,<em>  
><em>Like a million grains of sand.<em>  
><em>I'd love to be your redemption,<em>  
><em>But I am just a man,<em>  
><em>I may never be a hero.<em>  
><em>But I'am a rock you can lean on.<em>

_If I don't love you like you deserve;_  
><em>If I don't stop every tear you're cryin';<em>  
><em>If I don't make your life,<em>  
><em>A Heaven on this earth,<em>  
><em>I'll die tryin'.<em>  
><em>I'll die tryin'.<em>

I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes as my throat constricted. How did I get so lucky to have Jacob? I know that I'll never deserve him, but I'm too selfish to let him go. It's true, he is my rock. I don't know where I would be without him. My heart ached at the thought of losing him and I held on to him tighter. Jacob looked down at me and I met his gaze. It felt as if we were the only two people on the entire planet in that very moment. It didn't matter who was really there or not, all I saw was Jacob and I. He wiped the tears from eyes and bent to kiss me softly. The same shock of electricity ran through my body as we shared our passionate kiss. I was out of breath when I looked up. My cheeks flushed red to see that everyone was cheering and smiling at us. Jacob laughed and pulled me closer to him.

"I love you." He murmured into my hair. Embry and Quill started lighting off the fireworks, illuminating the sky, but still, my vision only saw Jake and I.

"I love you too."

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><p><strong>I hoped you liked it! I personally like this chapter! I thought all the Jake and Bella fluff was cute! I searched and searched for a song that would fit them. The song is I'll Die Trying by Lonestar! It is a very pretty song and I would recommend listening to it while reading this. Please read and review!<strong>

**I need at least 10-15 reviews before I update again! I gave you guys two chapters and a prologue, so tell me what you think! **

**Love,**

**GVE!**


	4. Family Time

_**"The skyline fades  
>Trading red for blue<br>But I don't care  
>'Cause I'm here with you:<strong>_

_**(Summertime's End- In Stereo)**_

_**Title: Family Time**_

* * *

><p>Summer was almost over and I had yet to visit Renee. Pulling money that I had saved up from working at Newton's, I bought two round trip tickets to Jacksonville. There was no way I could be that far away from Jake for that many days. Jake managed to convince Sam to let him free for a week since there hadn't been any sightings of vampires in quite some time. We'd be staying the last week of summer vacation, coming home a few days before school was scheduled to start. We would be leaving from Seattle on the 28th of July and coming back August 4th. Our flight would leave at 11:30 and get stuck with a two hour layover in Houston. Jacob was excited out of his mind to get out of the state. He would have his first experience flying.<p>

"Finally!" He exclaimed, putting the rest of his clothes in the suitcase I loaned him. "We get to have a real summer vacation, in a place where there is sun!" I laughed at his excited face. His excitement was amusing to me.

"I just have to finish packing, then we'll be ready to leave tomorrow morning." I smiled as his eagerness grew. He reminded me of a kid on Christmas morning. He came and sat with me on his bed.

"I'm excited to stay with your mom and Phil." He grinned, wrapping me up in his arms. It was the most content that I had been in a long time. I had to leave not long after he finished packing to cook dinner for Charlie. We shared a long kiss before I got into my truck and prepared for the drive back to Forks.

Charlie wasn't home when I got there. I pulled out some chicken and made him shredded barbeque chicken sandwich with a salad. He'd have a laugh at that. He greeted me happily when he got home. He was excited for his camping trip the week that I would be in Jacksonville.

I cleaned up the kitchen then headed for my room to finish packing. After I was content with everything, I curled up into bed and prayed for a restful sleep.

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><p><em><strong>Flight to Jacksonville<strong>_

Flying wasn't everything Jake thought it was going to be. He got queasy about an hour into the flight. My heart ached to see him sick and not feeling well. I did what I could to ease his mind. Every couple of hours he was back in the small bathroom on the plane. I'd followed him a couple of times to rub his back soothingly. He was more than grateful when we had our two hour layover in Houston.

"Jeez, I knew there would be turbulence, but I didn't expect to puke my guts out the entire ride." He whined, looking at the menu at the Taco Bell we found. Subconsciously, I rubbed circles into the palm of his hand, trying to ease my love. Jake smiled down at me and kissed the top of my head.

"I'm just glad you bought a pack of gum before we left." I teased, smiling up at him. He stuck his tongue out at me. I couldn't help giggling at his childish behavior.

The lay over passed quickly and we were back on the plane. For being in coach, it wasn't too badly packed. Many people had gotten off in Houston. There was an elderly couple sitting in the seats across the aisle from us. I couldn't help but overhear some of their conversation.

"I can't believe it." The little old lady whispered. I could tell by her voice that she was very frail. She had white curls bound on the top of her head. Her face had very defined laugh lines and the creases of wisdom as I always call them. Her husband held her hands in his, pressing his forehead to hers. It was such a pure moment that I felt as if I was intruding.

"He was so brave." I heard him whisper. His voice reminded me of Charlie. I couldn't picture Charlie having white hair yet. Jacob's pulling on my hand brought me back into reality. His molten eyes were full of questions as he looked at me.

"What?" I asked, confused. I wasn't crying or having an outburst, so why is he looking at me like that? He kissed my forehead and smiled.

"Just trying to figure you out, love." I smiled and laced my fingers with his. Drowsiness was starting to overcome me and Jacob positioned me so I was snuggled into his side. Sleep took me in before I could get the blanket over me.

It was late when we finally arrived in Jacksonville. Renee said she would pick us up at the airport. I knew she'd want to talk, but I hoped she had a long day so we can save all the girly excitement for tomorrow.

Jacob carried most of the bags while I took our light carry-on bag. Renee was standing by the exit to the airport, rolling on her heels excitedly. Her light brown hair was pulled into a messy bun on top of her hair. Her smile was huge when she spotted Jake and I. She must not have expected Jake to be so tall because she had to double check him. I laughed inwardly at my loving and erratic mother.

"Bella!" She cried, throwing her arms around me. We squeezed each other tightly. I guess I never realized how much I missed my mom. Even though I had spent most of my life taking care of her, she had always been my best friend. We hugged for a little while longer till she pulled away.

"It's good to see you, Mom." I smiled. "This is Jacob, my boyfriend." Jake had a gleam in his eye every time I referred to him as my boyfriend.

"It's so nice to meet you!" Renee squealed, pulling him in for a hug. It was a sight to laugh at considering Renee is about my size, squeezing the life out of my 6 foot 8 inch tall boyfriend. The term boyfriend didn't really seem to fit what Jacob and I had. It didn't do us justice.

"I'm glad to finally meet you too. Bells has told me so much about you." Jake laughed when Renee finally let him go so he could breathe.

"Where is Phil?" I asked, looking at Renee. She sighed, rolling her eyes.

"He said it was too late for him to be up, even though tomorrow is Saturday!" She laughed as we headed out towards her car. Renee had never been practical. She drove a slug bug. I couldn't help but laugh when Jacob squeezed his way into the front seat. His chair was pushed all the way back against the back seat so he could fit comfortably, making me sit behind Renee.

The drive to her house from the airport was fairly short. She lived on Ponte Vedra Beach, which was only about seven minutes away from Deep Forest Airport. Lush green trees and grass surrounded the area. I was satisfied knowing that Renee was living in a nice place. The air was thick and humid as we parked at the fairly nice house Renee and Phil had bought. We were at the back of the house since the technical front led straight to the white sand. The back of the house looked to be made of white brick. It was two stories high and so far looked very beautiful. Renee had always been good at things like that, I mused to myself as we began pulling luggage out of the back of the bug. Renee had flitted up the stairs to the wrap around deck to unlock to the door. Jake once again carried almost all the bags while I took a couple.

"Are you ever going to let me do anything for myself?" I teased, looking at him lovingly as we made our way up the steps. The bright full moon lit up the entire place, making it seem like it was glowing.

"Nope." He laughed, popping the 'p' as he said it. Renee had disappeared somewhere inside her home. I was overwhelmed with the smell of apple cinnamon. She must have been burning incense or something, I thought as I made my way through what appeared to be her laundry room. The laundry room connected with the kitchen, which even in the dark, I could see that it was a vibrant yellow. Renee had always been such a pack rat, and that was only confirmed when I saw things around her kitchen from the many trips we use to take.

"Bells, just follow the sound of my voice and you'll find your room." Renee called from what sounded like upstairs. Jake and I made our way to the stairs and headed towards her voice. The hallways had so many pictures from the various things we had done in the past. I was surprised when I saw a picture of Renee, Charlie, and I when I was a baby. It was at the top of the stairs. "There is only one guest room, but I'm sure I can trust you two to be alone. Then there is a bathroom right down the hall on your left." She said as she opened the door to the guest room.

I felt as if I had just stepped into a movie. The room was beyond beautiful. There was a white dresser with a matching vanity and headboard to the bed, which was fairly large. The bed frame was made of what looked to be bamboo and had a white netting coming down on both sides. The bedding was white satin. There was a door that led to the patio, which was open and the fresh breeze was blowing the ocean smell all over the room.

"Wow." I breathed, setting the luggage down on the floor. "This room looks amazing. You did such a good job, mom." She smiled at me and hugged me close.

"I'm going to let you two get settled in and rest, then we'll have an exciting day in the morning." She beamed, hugging us again and flitting down the staircase. I could feel Jake's burning arms wrap around my waist.

"Your mom has really good taste. This room looks awesome." He mused, resting his head on my shoulder. I nodded in agreement. My body was screaming that it needed sleep and I yawned loudly. "Time to get Bella in bed." Jake laughed, sweeping me off my feet and carrying me to the large bed.

"I need to change." I whined, squirming out of his arms and rushing to my suitcase. "I can't sleep in this humid weather, next to a wolf, in sweats." He laughed, shaking his head at me and pulling off his shirt. Jake was one of the most handsome men that I have ever seen. His body was so toned and I could see him flex his muscles unintentionally. He climbed into the bed as I headed off to the bathroom to clean up from the flight in.

Once I felt not so disgusting, I headed back to the guest room to find Jake still awake, waiting patiently for me. He smiled once he saw me and beckoned for me to lay in his arms. "There is my beautiful woman." He murmured into my hair as I cuddled into his embrace. I knew it wouldn't be long before sleep overtook my body, and I sighed in content. There wasn't a place in the world that I'd rather be.

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><p><em><strong>Morning<strong>_

This had to be one of the weirdest dreams I have ever had. Renee and Jake were beaming with happiness, looking down at me. I could faintly hear Jake's gruff voice singing 'I've got sunshine, on a cloudy day'. Had the plane ride really whacked me off so much?

"Bella, you aren't asleep." Renee laughed, shaking my shoulders. I jumped up in bed. This wasn't a dream?

"What are you two doing?" I groaned, laying back down when I fully comprehended that I wasn't asleep.

"Guess where we are going to go today!" Renee was bouncing with excitement. Jake's eyes held the same abducted look as hers. I raised my eyebrows in response. "Disneyworld!" She nearly screamed.

"Oh boy." I murmured. Renee definitely did not plan for this vacation to be boring.

**A/N: Never been to Disneyworld so I don't think I would do it justice if I tried to describe it, so therefore, we are going to skip to when they have a family dinner.**

It was surprising to find that my body allowed me to enjoy myself on all the rides. It came as a shock that I didn't get sick at all. Usually, I wouldn't have been able to go on any thrill rides. I suppose being with Jake has also changed that in me as well. Renee threw a fit when I said I would cook dinner, she almost beat me out of the kitchen. Whatever she was cooking didn't smell terrible. Jake's stomach growled from next to me on the couch. I laughed and poked it.

"Inner wolf calling?" I teased. He smiled and rolled his eyes, focusing back on the movie we were watching. Renee finished dinner not long afterwards, and I braced myself to what I would find in the kitchen. She made pasta salad and rosemary chicken. It looked delicious!

Phil sat across from Jake. He wasn't a bad guy, but something about him was different. Maybe that's why Renee liked him so much? He wasn't the shy, gentleman that she once was with. As long as she was happy, I could be happy for her.

"So, how long have you two been together?" Phil asked, reaching across the table to grab the salt.

"Four months." Jake said. I don't think it was noticeable to anyone else, but I could hear the sound of pride in his voice. Renee smiled at me warmly. She was so ecstatic that I was happy again. Phil nodded, taking another bite of his food.

"What happened to that Edwin guy?" Jake's chest rumbled at the sound of his name. I kicked him underneath the table. Charlie and Phil weren't that different, I suppose.

"Um, he and his family moved to California." I lied smoothly. I had gotten so use to telling people this at school. My heart would always have a spot for him, but it was not that big or dominant. I could cover the sound of my voice very easily to make it seem like it didn't hurt. Edward wasn't just someone you could forget, no matter how much you love someone else now. Jake looked apologetically towards me, and I shook my head, telling him it was fine. I could hear my mom kick Phil underneath the table.

"Thanks for dinner, mom." I said, grabbing my plate and rinsing it off. Jake hurriedly ate the rest of his food so he could join me. The sun was just beginning to set as I headed out onto the beach. The white sand felt so soft and warm between my toes. I sat where the tide was coming up, letting the warm water run across my feet. The ocean was so vast and open. The sky met the sea with perfect harmony reminding me of how Jake and I worked together. His legs slid down next to mine and he pulled me to his chest. We exchanged no words but I felt as if we were having a full conversation. The unspoken feelings between us were screaming to the heavens. I couldn't picture how life gets any better than this. Jake softly stroked my cheek, letting his fingers linger.

"You are so beautiful, Bella." He whispered in my ear, sending chills up and down my spine. I looked over my shoulder to softly smile at him.

"Thank you." My heart was beating fast and I knew he could hear it. He was truly my sunshine in the dark. Jake completed me in every way possible. I don't know how long we sat there together, but the sun sank in the sky and stars replaced the purple and pink haze. There was no other way to describe everything I was feeling besides complete happiness.

For the first time in a long time, I was excited for the future.

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><p><strong>Visiting Renee was so cute. I really enjoyed it. I hope you guys enjoyed it as well. I have written an entire timeline for all the events in this story and I'm basing my writing off of it. I'm so excited to get to the good stuff that writing the in-between is making me impatient. The next couple chapters are going to go like this till it gets to the actual start of the timeline:<strong>

**Chapter 4- Bella and Jake head back to Forks and they both start school.**

**Chapter 5- Bella and Jake's one year anniversary**

**Chapter 6- Bella's graduation**

**You'll just have to wait and see what happens next! **

**Love,**

**GVE**


	5. Coming Home

_**"I think I'm moving but I go nowhere  
>Yeah I know that everyone gets scared<br>But I've become what I can't be, oh"**_

_**(Stop and Stare- One Republic)**_

**A/N: You guys need to start reviewing my stories, I'm not feeling like I'm doing a good job and not feeling the love. So many people read it but there are no reviews! To be honest, it is bumming me out! So please start reviewing if you want me to continue this. **

**Title: Coming Home**

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><p>The week in Jacksonville passed quickly, which I didn't like very much. Jake was disappointed that we had to leave so soon, and Renee promised him that she would come visit during Fall break. Our flight back was the same as the one coming in, so we had some time to spend with Renee and Phil before we had to leave. Phil, of course, was fast asleep while Renee was buzzing through the kitchen fixing a big breakfast. I haven't moved an inch from when I first woke up. Leaving the comfort of Jake's arms almost seemed like a crime.<p>

"Good mornin'" He said softly, stretching his arms above his head. He held me thorough the entire night, just like it had been for this entire week. "I don't wanna leave." He pouted. I couldn't contain my giggles when I looked back at his jutted out lip. It reminded me of a toddler who just got told no.

"She will come visit. I'm going to miss her." I sighed, turning to face him. His lips were warm on my cheek, comforting me in simplest way. Jake was able to fix anything that was broken with me. His eyes were gentle, full of adoration and love. I think even a blind person would be able to see how much love we shared.

"Oh garsh!" He chuckled, sitting up quickly. "It smells soooooo good!" Before I could blink, Jake was heading towards the door. He had an appetite that could feed 8 full grown men. Renee commented on that once this week at lunch. She was happy because it helped her with her cooking skills, and she vaguely joked about becoming the next Martha Stewart.

"I never want to leave." Jake's deep laugh came drifting back up the stairs. I could hear Renee's light laughter blend with his. Cautiously, I made my way down the stairs. I would be the one to get hurt before a plane ride. Renee had a full feast prepared for us, causing my jaw to drop in shock.

"You do know we are only two people, right?" I shook my head, joining Jake at the table, who was stuffing his face with biscuits and gravy. It was true; Renee's cooking had improved so much in the week that we had been with her. She must have picked up on a couple things from me; like adding milk when mixing the eggs.

"I just wanted to cook a nice meal for you guys before you had to go." She said, her voice tight. I could see the tears brimming in her eyes and my heart sunk. Quickly, I jumped out my seat to wrap her in a hug. My mom, even though she was crazy, meant the entire world to me. I don't know what I would do without her. She's always been my best friend. At least she would be visiting in a few months, without Phil. I'm sure Charlie would be happy to see her. Her tears hit my bare shoulder as we embraced.

"It won't be long." I said softly, hugging her close one last time before sitting back down to finish the lovely meal she had made. She laughed, wiping her eyes and joining us at the table. Jacob squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"We will only be a phone call away." He grinned his famous Jacob grin before he took another bite of his food. Renee smiled at him in response.

"My cooking will suck once you guys leave!" Renee whined, putting her fists down on the table in protest. "You know, the schools here are really good." She winked. I couldn't help but laugh.

"I don't think Charlie would like it if we went MIA. Besides, Jake belongs in La Push, Mom." She sighed in defeat. A sly grin crept onto Jacob's face. I cocked an eyebrow at him with interest.

"Billy would throw a fit if we didn't come back." He chuckled, shaking his head. I nodded in agreement.

"I miss Billy! He was so nice to Charlie and I when we first got married. Give him my greetings?" Renee asked, her eyes filling with happiness at the memories. Jacob smiled, happy to oblige her. The rest of breakfast passed fairly quiet. Jake and I had packed our bags last night and we were set to leave for the airport at 10:30. I knew I wouldn't be able to hold my tears back once we went through our terminal.

Renee walked close to us the entire time. She held my hand tightly. I couldn't imagine how hard it is for her, having her only daughter live so far away, but she has Phil to keep her occupied. Sometimes, he seems like a real jerk to her. Hopefully, he makes her as happy as she says. We reached the check point and quickly turned to embrace each other. The airport was not busy, surprisingly. The beeping sounds of people passing through metal detectors was the only sound that was really noticeable.

"Bye mom, I love you." I said, smiling at her one last time before grabbing Jake's hand and heading towards our checkpoint. The lump in my throat ate away at me, but I didn't want to cry while she was still here. I wanted to stay strong in front of her, to ease her pain. I could her Renee's sobs as we passed through the metal detectors. She waved back at me one last time before we rounded the turn into our plane. As soon as we sat in our seats, I couldn't hold my tears any longer. Jake stroked my hair softly as I cried into his chest. No words needed to be said to understand why I was upset. I knew it would pass and that it was silly; we wouldn't be apart forever. Feeling exhausted from crying, I succumbed into sleep quick into the flight.

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><p><em><strong>Forks, Washington. <strong>_

The lush green trees were a comforting sight to see. The gray clouds and rainy skies were home for us. I didn't realize how much I actually missed Forks while we were gone. Charlie was beaming from the front of the cruiser, with Billy at his side. The two goofs were so excited that we were back, and drilling us with nonstop questions. I could only wonder what two old men were doing up so late?

"How is Renee doing?" Billy asked from the front seat of the cruiser. I laughed.

"Eccentric as ever," I laughed. "She said to tell you two hello and to come visit soon." Charlie beamed, and I could practically hear his heart flutter. It made me sad that he was still so in love with her, but she broke his heart. Secretly, I hoped something would happen between her and Phil and she would come back to her true love. Billy laughed.

"What did you think, Jake?" Charlie asked, looking back at us through his rear view mirror. Jake grinned.

"She's awesome. I invited her to come over Fall break." Charlie grinned back at him. Billy laughed, rolling his eyes.

"That week is sure to be fun." I said, leaning into Jake's side. One thing I hadn't missed about Forks was how cold it was. Even for August, it was chilly. Billy's truck was parked at Charlie's familiar house, and sadness overcame me. For the first time in a week I wouldn't be able to fall asleep in Jake's arms. He noticed my change in mood and pulled me close.

"I'll see you first thing in the mornin'. I promise." He whispered into my hair as I hugged him tightly. "I love you." We shared a short, sweet kiss as he helped his Dad into their truck. Charlie and I waited for them to leave before going into the house. It was actually clean.

"I see you've been busy." My eyes must have been wide. Charlie laughed, clearly embarrassed.

"I had to try my hand at cleaning while you were gone. Didn't want you chewing me out for socks left in the living room when ya got back." He laughed, giving me an awkward one-armed hug before heading upstairs to his room. I followed his idea and let my jet lagged body collapse on my bed, exhaustion overcoming me quickly.

_**Morning**_

When I awoke in the morning, I found a very pleasant surprise waiting for me. Jake looked at me anxiously from the rocking chair next to my bed. His smile was bright when I rolled over, grabbing his hand. He pulled me into his lap.

"Good morning beautiful." He grinned. I smiled sleepily. "This is the last weekend before school." I groaned, curling into him. "Not what you wanted to hear, I know." He laughed. I smiled and stretched in his arms. It made me so happy to see him here first thing in the morning, just like he promised. That was something about Jake; he would never break his promise. My body still felt so exhausted, and when I looked at the clock, I understood why. It was only four in the morning.

"Lemme sleep you crazy, nocturnal wolf." I moaned, turning back on my side. Jake's laugh was loud and I realized Charlie must be out fishing.

"Sleep, my Bella." I could hear the smile in his voice as I fell back into my deep slumber.

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><p><strong>It was a short chapter, I know! I thought it was another good one though. I really hope you guys start reviewing more. Also check out some more of my stories that have been recently updated. I'm gonna go back and add song lyrics to the beginning that fit the chapter!<strong>

**Coming up next: **

**Chapter 5- Bella and Jake's one year anniversary**

**Chapter 6- Bella's graduation **

**Love, **

**GVE**


	6. Anniversary

_**"And I could write a song  
>A hundred miles long<br>Well, that's where I belong  
>And you belong with me"<strong>_

_**(Swallowed in the Sea- Coldplay)**_

_**March 16**__**th,**__** 2007**_

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><p>It was incredibly hard to believe that it has been a year today that Jake and I have been together. Time was going by so fast and I frankly didn't have a problem with that. I spent everyday with Jake, sometimes I'd spend time with my friends, but I was almost always with Jake. We would have so much fun together, doing anything and everything. I felt less than whole when we weren't together. Renee came down during Fall break, just like she promised. It was nice being able to see her and Charlie get along without any awkwardness. I knew he missed her like crazy when she had to leave. Senior year was going by unbelievably fast; I would be graduating high school in two months! Forks High School had been buzzing with excitement ever since we came back from winter break. Jake had something planned for us today, but with him being his pain in the butt self; he wouldn't tell me.<p>

"Please Jake, tell me where we are going!" I begged. He had me thrown over his shoulder and was taking me somewhere for God knows what. He laughed and I bounced with his movements. Jake had blindfolded me with one of his shirts. I could faintly hear the sound of the beach. He didn't let me see when we were driving, which wasn't too long of a ride.

"Almost there." He chuckled, setting me down on a bench of some sort. From what I could tell using my other senses, the bench was made of wood and it was in something oval.

"Are we in a boat?" I asked, feeling the sides of the wood one more time.

"I'll give you that much." Jake said before the boat started moving and I could feel the current of the ocean moving us. It was a rare sunny day in Forks and it felt nice against my skin. The boat wobbled as Jake climbed in. I could hear oars splashing into the water. "Have I ever told you how much I love you?"

"I think you have a couple of times," I teased. "I know how much you do."

"Do you really?" His voice was soft and he took my hands in his. He must have stopped rowing, but it was hard to tell because the current had a decent pull to it.

"What's this about?" He was concerning me a little bit. Does he feel like I don't know how much he loves me? His warm hand stroked my cheek, giving me tingles up and down my arms.

"Bella Swan, my life would not be complete without you in it. My heart would not be whole without yours. I've never been this happy before in my entire life. Sometimes I feel like it's a dream and I'm going to wake up, but when morning comes and I see your picture on my phone, I become overjoyed with happiness. Nothing could compare to being with you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and to be honest, we really have no other choice since I imprinted." He laughed softly. I couldn't help the wide smile that was plastered across my face. Jacob had to be the sweetest guy ever.

"I feel the same." He pressed his lips to mine lightly. "Now, tell me what this is about, love."

"Well, we have been together for a year now. I wanted to give you something." I could feel him pull my hand so my palm was open and there was a velvet box placed in it. My mouth dropped open as he removed the blindfold from my eyes.

"I'm not proposing, yet," He grinned. "It's a promise ring. I want to make you a promise that I will renew every year on this exact date." He opened the box and the ring made my eyes well up with tears. It was perfect for me. It was a small silver ring with diamond beadings going all around it and in the center there was a small diamond heart. On the underside of the ring there was an engraving.

_Bella & Jacob_

_03/16/06_

"Bella Swan, my promise to you is that I will love you every day of forever. I promise to never hurt you, to take care of you, and give you all the happiness in the world. You are my everything, and I can't picture life without you in it. Thank you for completing my heart like you do. You're my best friend, and I wouldn't want it any other way. I love you with all my heart and promise to never let you go."

The tears spilled over as I crushed Jake close to me. "Oh!" I cried. "It's so beautiful Jake. You didn't have to. I love you so much." He stroked my hair and held me close. When we pulled apart, he slid the ring onto my right ring finger. It fit perfectly. So, this is why we are in the middle of the ocean?" I pressed.

"I thought it'd be nice to have a day out here. I even made us lunch." He beamed proudly. I laughed as he pulled out a small picnic basket. Inside there were sandwiches and chips.

"You went all out." I mused, grabbing a sandwich. He grinned and kissed my cheek. I did nothing to deserve this incredible man.

"Just for you baby." I giggled at the nickname he enjoyed calling me. He truly did protect me like I was a baby, and I didn't mind, long as he never forgot that I was capable to do things for myself. We ate in silence, enjoying the comfort of each others presence.

"I have something for you too." I said, finally breaking the silence. His eyes went wide with surprise.

"You didn't have to." I shook my head, putting a finger on his mouth to silence him. He smiled and placed a soft kiss on my finger. I reached into my bag and pulled out the black leather photo album. His eyes went wider when I handed it to him, and I smiled anxiously. Jacob slowly looked through the pictures that I had taken in the last year. He would laugh at some and just smile at others. I looked along with him.

_Jake was holding me in his arms as we walked out of his house. _

_Jake in wolf form with me sitting on his back. _

_Me making a silly face towards him. _

_Jake and I sharing a kiss on Fourth of July. _

"This is amazing." He murmured when he reached the end of the book. He pulled me to sit in his lap.

"Not as amazing as you are." He smiled suggestively, making the blood rush to my cheeks. I buried my head in his chest. It could have been forever that we stayed there. He broke the silence again by pulling my chin to look at him. His chocolate brown eyes bore into mine, burning with love. His warm lips were on mine then. Our lips slid together with perfect harmony. The heat coming off of him was sending tingles throughout my body. I turned to straddle his lap and his arms wound around my waist. The friction between our bodies was driving me insane. His kisses were making me dizzy with emotions. I had to break away to catch my breath.

"I love you." He whispered, breathing heavily. I kissed him again, flicking my tongue across his bottom lip. He eagerly opened his mouth and I had my first chance to explore it. His kiss tasted so good; addictive. The inside of his mouth was even warmer than his lips alone. He bit down softly on my lower lip, making me shiver with pleasure. All these feelings I was having were completely foreign to me, but it felt so natural to be like this with Jake; there were no boundaries separating us. He began attacking my neck, making me arch with pleasure. I couldn't control the shivers going down my back. I knew in that moment that Jake was the only person that I wanted to share this with.

"I love you too." He stopped kissing my neck and pulled me into a hug. I could feel his heart beat thudding against my chest. Our breathing was ragged. "I want to take this slow." I whispered softly, running my fingers absentmindedly through his hair. He nodded, placing a soft kiss on my forehead.

"I will do anything for you, Bella." The truth rang out strongly in that statement. For once in my life, nothing was wrong. I was in complete and utter bliss.

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><p><strong>Aww! Happy anniversary Jake and Bella! They are so cute together. Please tell me what you think! Thanks for those who are sticking with this through the boring parts, I'm liking them, but I'm excited to get to the action. Graduation is the next chapter, I'll skip to Jake's graduation at the end and then get to the good stuff. Things will be kind of slow, but action will be packed into this story! Hope you continue to read and review!<strong>

**Love,**

**GVE**


	7. Graduation

**"This could be  
>Para-para-paradise<br>Para-para-paradise"**

**(Paradise- Coldplay)**

**Title: Graduation**

**May 23****rd****, 2007.**

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><p>Days melted into months; seconds turned into hours; and before I knew it, I was finally graduating high school. The events that had happened in the last four years didn't seem real to me. So much had been packed into the last four years of my life; I wondered how there was room for all of it. I went from living in Phoenix, moving to Forks, my life being thrown upside down and all over the place, to something steady with the man I love. Renee and Phil had flown in yesterday; Charlie was less than thrilled to meet Phil. He liked him even less than I did. Jake's sister, Rachael, had come back from college for the summer. She graduated with honors in all of her classes, and thought about staying home for awhile. Billy and Jake were so thrilled to have her back for a few weeks; so was Paul; since he imprinted on her. Billy and Jacob were happy Rachael was home, but not thrilled to have Paul around all the time, even though his anger and attitude have improved a lot.<p>

"Bella," My mom's voice pulled me out of my thoughts. "It's almost time to go." She grinned, pulling me close for a hug. Rachael stood behind me; it turns out she had a love for makeup and hair styling. She reminded me so much of Alice; but I tried not to think of that, it still hurt to think of the others even though they had been gone for so long now. I was grateful for the torture this time; I looked amazing. She did spiral curls in my hair, then pulled it back in a clip. My makeup was light, but enhanced the dominant features of my face, as she put it. They both were beaming when I turned around to face them.

"You look gorgeous!" Rachael buzzed, pulling me into a huge hug. We had gotten close in the last few weeks she had been here. It was nice having someone to relate to. She recently got out of a bad relationship, then fell completely in love with Paul.

"I can't believe my baby girl is growing up." Charlie appeared at the entrance of the door, tears brimming in his eyes. Renee smiled affectionately towards him, and a light blush covered his cheeks.

"We should go before we are late." She said, looping her arm in mine and helping me down the treacherous stairs. Billy, Jake, and the rest of the pack were going to meet us at the school. Charlie, Phil, Rachael, Renee and I all piled into the cruiser. Phil rode in the front with Charlie; making it awkward for the rest of us. Sunlight shined in through the windows, warming my skin as I tried to ignore the tension in the car. Renee and Rachael were filled with excitement, and they did most of the talking to save the rest of us from the dread of making small talk.

Graduation is suppose to mark the starting of a new chapter in your life, but I don't see what it could possibly do for me. I think I've gone through all the chapters in high school that I could. Besides, I have everything that I need with me. College would be starting in the fall and so would Jacob's senior year. I decided to go to the community college in town so I could be closer to Jacob. Charlie pulled into a parking space close to the doors. Jessica and Angela came running over to me. They both looked amazing in their dresses. It was incredible to see how they've grown and changed over the years.

"Can you believe it?" Jessica squealed, hugging me while jumping up and down. Angela stood smiling brightly while we embraced.

"Crazy, right?" Angela said, pulling me in for a hug. I nodded, agreeing with how true the statement truly was. Two of my best friends pulled me towards the auditorium, where the graduation was being set up. We had to separate towards our different rooms to get in line. I was sad because I didn't get to see Jacob before it was time. It was hard to concentrate on one thing. My mind was swirling with all the different thoughts I was having. I would need to get a job after high school. Eventually, I'd want to buy my own place. Renee would be leaving soon which made me sad. I was pulled out of my thoughts when the music for us to start walking to began playing.

I was scared that I would mess up or trip, but surprisingly I didn't. I could hear all the pack start hooting when they saw me take my seat on stage with the rest of my classmates. Jake's eyes caught me; they were glowing with pride and love. I gave him a cheesy smile before focusing on the principal. Everything passed with a blur. I had walked across the stage, without tripping, received my diploma and many hoots, and now I was wrapped in the embrace of my family and friends. Time was moving so quickly, it was hard to keep up with everything.

"I'm so proud of you." Charlie muttered, pulling me close for a hug. For once, the affection between us didn't feel awkward. Renee was next to take me into her arms, hugging me tightly.

"You're all grown up now." She cried, hugging me tighter. I felt a few tears of my own slip as I squeezed her back.

"I'll always be your baby girl." Renee smiled at my reassurance. Before I could put together what was happening, the pack had me surrounded while they did a dance around me.

"Bella's an adult now!" Quil hooted, throwing me on his shoulder while the other guys jumped up and down around us.

"I can't believe she's out of high school before the rest of us!" Seth whined, poking me in my side. I couldn't help but giggle. How lucky was I to have all these amazing people who love me? My thankfulness filled my heart as I hugged each one of them. Jake was at the end of the line. I skipped of Brady and Colin to jump in his arms. I felt like one of those girls on a T.V show; and I was just waiting for the obnoxious 'awe'.

Jake stroked my hair as he held me close in his arms. I knew people were staring, but I could careless. "You take my breath away." He whispered, kissing my forehead.

"I love you." My smile could have lit up the world in that moment. Nothing could have ruined that moment. I was in true paradise.

"Not as much as I love you." He whispered, kissing me softly. Paul snorted.

"Ha-Ha Jake, you're still in high school. How does it feel to date an older woman" He teased, giving Jake a light shove. Jake laughed, holding me tighter. The warmth of his body sent tingles throughout every inch of my being. I couldn't fight the blush that came to my cheeks.

"Rachael's older than you," Jake teased him. Paul has gotten so much better at controlling his anger. He is fighting so hard to not hurt Rachael ever, and to keep her on La Push. "Besides, I won't be in high school for much longer." We all laughed, not knowing how true that was. Time was really going to fly now.

* * *

><p><strong>Jake's Graduation<strong>

**May 21st, 2008. **

I couldn't believe it. It felt like just yesterday I had graduated high school; so much has changed in the last year. Phil and Renee began having problems, but she didn't let on too much about that. She visited Forks more than usual. It was really nice to have her around, and to see Charlie happy again. I suspect that their love is rekindling. Rachael had gotten pregnant within a few months of being back. Billy wasn't happy at first, but when Paul proposed to her, he accepted it for what it was. Imprinting was something that nothing could come between. They had their baby on April 12th, 2008. Rachael named her Sarah, after their mother. It made my heart swell with happiness seeing Jake hold his niece for the first time. Time was really going by fast, and if you let go, you would be left behind.

"Come on Bellllllll-uuuuuuuh!" Seth hollered, grabbing my arm. He broke me out of the trance I was in and was dragging me down the road.

"Seth," I laughed, pulling my arm out of his grasp. "Graduation isn't for another two hours." He stuck his tongue out at me and went back to pulling me down the street.

"Well, it'll take us two hours to get there with how slow you are!" He wailed, pulling me over his shoulder and taking off running. I was laughing uncontrollably by the time we reached the high school on the reservation. It had only taken us five minutes to get there.

"So what do we do now, Sherlock?" I teased, giving him a light shoved which didn't move him at all. Seth grinned a wolf like grin.

"It's actually starting in five minutes, I changed the time on your phone to confuse you." I gasped, looking at the screen on my phone, then glaring at Seth. He laughed like crazy at my glare. I grabbed his arm and dragged him into the gym where the chairs were set up. Quickly, I found Sue and shoved Seth down next to her. She looked at me, puzzled.

"He's being a butt hole!" I exclaimed, hitting him one more time, softly to make sure I didn't hurt myself. He chortled with uncontrollable laugher, and I couldn't help but giggle with him. I found Rachael and took a seat by her. Music began playing and the small graduating class of the reservation walked out into the makeshift stage. Jake's grin was huge when he saw me. I was overwhelmed with pride and adoration. We had come such a far way since when I first came to Forks. I wouldn't change a thing that happened.

The ceremony was almost over. Jake was asked to make a speech, since he was such a good student. Plus, the principal was part of the council and knew he was a protector. I smiled when he stepped up to the microphone.

"Thank you for coming tonight to celebrate the graduation of the 2008 class!" He cheered, getting a response from his fellow classmates. "High school has been a crazy journey for most of us. Things happened that we would have never expected." He looked at me with a small smile. "We have learned so much and grown together in the last four years. We are all a family, whether we are related by blood, or Quileute culture. Sometimes, things happen and we lose ourselves. People who are here and you see everyday are able to help you pull yourself back together. I know so many people who are stronger than they appear. This graduating class is one the of the closes that I have ever seen. We have awesome teachers and principals to thank for that. School has impacted my life so much. It gave me a place to come when I had no where else to go. I've learned so much here, and by talking to some people, I've made the biggest decision of my life here." His speech had brought tears to my eyes. Jake was such an incredible person, and I don't know what I did to deserve him. "Bella, will you come up here please?" My eyes widened with shock. What does he want me to do? Rachael gave me an encouraging nudge. Charlie's eyes had a gleam in them that I had never seen before.

I made my way slowly to Jake and he gave me a wide smile. He slowly got down on one knee, and I felt the tears start falling. He smiled at me again, reaching up to wipe my tears.

"Bella Swan, will you marry me?"

* * *

><p><strong>I had to cut it off there, just to make you guys want more. I'm enjoying writing this, so I hope you all are enjoying reading this. I want to promise you all something now, this story will be finished! I will not leave it to go unfinished. I think things will start moving at a faster pace from here, but I'm not fully sure! Please review!<strong>

**Love,**

**GVE**


	8. Adventure Awaits

My heart was flooded with happiness, and true shock. Jake was asking me to marry him. My dreams were becoming reality. I didn't think I'd be able to form a coherent sentence so all I did was nod. Jake's arms wrapped around my waist as he swung me around. The classmates cheered and graduation caps went flying into the air.

I couldn't believe that I was going to be marrying Jake. I have no idea what I did to deserve someone so amazing. I had such a hard time believing that Charlie knew and kept it a secret. That man usually tells all he knows. The class finished the graduation and soon we were all outside. Embry came running up to Jake and I first.

"I knew this would happen!" He exclaimed, a smile stretching across his face. I couldn't help but smile back at him. The rest of the pack joined in around us, all giving their words of encouragement and congratulations. My heart was filled with true joy. It felt like I was living a dream. After everything calmed down, people started heading home.

"Come with me?" Jake asked with a look of adoration that made me blush. Without giving me time to answer, Jake swooped me up into his arms. He started walking towards the beach.

"You're amazing." I said, resting my head on his chest. I loved the warmth that radiated off of his body. It felt so right to be here with Jake. He sat down in the sand, just close enough that the water would wash up on our feet.

"Bella, I love you. You make me so happy. I don't think I'd be able to go through every day of my life without knowing you." Jake murmured, while resting his chin on top of my head. He was perfectly imperfect. He may have his flaws, but I don't see them. I just see the sweet, loving, incredible man that he has become.

"I don't know what to say." He brought his head down to look at me; his eyes full of concern. "I am so happy and I'm not sure words exist to describe all these emotions." Jake smiled his famous toothy smile and hugged me closer to his body.

"So, when should we get married?" He asked. I could hear the excitement in his voice. I was never one for marriage, but since Jake imprinted, there is no avoiding it and we might as well make it official.

"Hmm…" I pondered for a moment on all the dates it could be. "What about in October?"

"Okay, why that month?" Jake asked, stroking my hair softly.

"I don't want to wait forever. Will you still want me if I'm even older?" He laughed and shook his head.

"Don't you know by now that it doesn't matter?" He inquired. I laughed softly, laying my head back on his strong chest. "What day would you like to have the wedding on?"

"You know, there's a lot that goes into planning weddings." I teased, looking up at him. "You sure you won't change your mind?" Jake gasped and feigned hurt.

"Bella, you are my life. I want to spend every second of it with you." I smiled at him, feeling the blood rush to my cheeks. "Now, tell me what day."

I thought about it for a couple of minutes, debating all of the days that I could pick. "October 11th." I beamed. Jake laughed and kissed my cheek.

"And we'll live happily ever after." He said cheerily. Happily ever after could really become true for my life. I smiled and relaxed into his arms at that thought.

**Summer Time of 2008**

Summer was here and everyone knew it. It had only been a month since Jake proposed, but it felt like longer. Everyday was an adventure and full of surprises. I had got a job at Newton's to help pay for the wedding and have some extra money on the side. When I wasn't at work, my days consisted of hanging out with Jake and the pack. Sometimes, I would see my old friends and catch up with them. They all found it hard to believe that I would be getting married. I guess they didn't expect it from me. I enjoy everyday being full of an adventure and having something new to do, but it was also nice to just relax and spend time with Jake. There was a bonfire tonight at La Push and it would be nice to just hang out with everyone, doing something that we were all used to.

A breeze came through the window of my room and it felt nice. It was a break from the humidity of my bedroom. It was quiet. I could hear birds outside flitting around the feeder and the sound of a car every now and then. My peace was interrupt by Jake flying through the door. I sat up with surprise.

"What in the world are you doing?" I asked, laughing as he steadied himself out. He smiled happily and plopped down next to me on the bed. He was wearing a t-shirt that had the sleeves cut off and cargo shorts.

"I'm here to pick you up." He grinned, laying back on my bed. "What were you doing?" He inquired, looking at the book I held.

"I was just reading. You know, living it up." I smiled sarcastically and leaned into his embrace. "You do know the party doesn't start till later right?" He poked my side and laughed.

"Obviously. I do live there. I just thought I'd come get you early so we could go to the beach."

"Sure. It'll be nice to get in the water." He smirked and swooped me up into his arms. Before I knew it, we were in his Rabbit heading towards La Push.

"You don't waste any time do you?" I laughed, kicking my feet up and leaning against him. He shook his head and started driving faster.

"I have something fun planned for us today." I could hear the slyness laced in his voice.

"Oh boy."

I stood at the top of a large, dangerous cliff with a steep drop straight to the ocean.

"Are you crazy?!" I shrieked, backing away from the ledge. Jake wrapped his arms around my waist.

"Maybe just a little." He remarked. "Bella, it'll be fun. We'll jump off together. A little danger never hurt." I could feel how tense my body was with fear. The hair stood up on the back of my neck and my hands were clammy.

"A little danger? Jake, this is asking for a lot of danger." He laughed at my nervousness. "I can't."

"You can, Bella. You just gotta set your mind to it. The guys and I do it all the time." He let go of me and started to take off his shirt.

"Did you forget you are all super human wolves and I'm just a human?" My voice was hoarse. Jake let out a booming laugh and shook his head.

"I promise you that I won't let anything happen to you." My nerves eased a little. Jake started taking off my shoes and socks as I stood there dumbfounded. "Are you ready?" I shook my head as we edged closer to the cliff. I looked down and saw the jagged rocks waiting for us at the bottom. The water was calm enough, splashing up against the base of the cliff. It looked terrifying.

"Don't let go of me." I squeaked out as I got on his back. He grasped onto my legs tightly as he backed away from the ledge to get a running start.

"Never." He whispered before leaping off of the ledge. The air whipped my hair around and was harsh on my skin. I squeezed my eyes closed as tight as I could and clutched onto Jake with all I had. I braced my body for the impact of the chilly water. We broke the surface and my skin felt on fire at first. My heart raced with adrenaline and I was shaking. Jake pulled us back up to the surface and moved me to face him. I still had my death grip on him. "Bella, it's over. You can open your eyes now." He chuckled. I opened my eyes and saw Jake's beaming smile.

"Are we alive?" I whispered, looking at the water surrounding us. Jake laughed loudly and started swimming for the shore.

"Bella, Bella, Bella, you make me laugh." I'm glad he was amused with my terror. On the shore, there was a couple of towels and a picnic blanket. Jake carried me up to the towels and wrapped one around me. I was still holding onto him.

"Well, that was fun." I sighed, smiling slightly at him. He grinned and sat us down on the blanket.

"I knew you'd come around." I shoved him and laughed. He held me tighter, warming my cold body. Even during summer, I found a way to freeze. "I love you Bells. I'm so happy you tried something new." He turned my face up towards him and softly kissed me. Even when facing danger, I was still as content as possible with Jake.

A few hours later, everyone was sitting around a huge fire on the beach, enjoying each others company and the delicious food provided by Emily and I. Quill and Embry teased me for being such a baby about going off the cliff. "Was it really that bad Bella?" Quill teased, giving me a small push. I stuck my tongue out at him and tossed some sand in his shoe with my foot.

Everything was the way it was meant to be. The fire lit up everyone's faces and laughter could be heard from all around. This is how my life was meant to be. I snuggled into Jake's arms and let the happiness overwhelm me. I couldn't wait for the future.


	9. The Night Before

_**"Then I saw her face, now I'm a believer  
>Not a trace of doubt in my mind<br>I'm in love, I'm a believer  
>I couldn't leave her if I tried"<strong>_

**_(I'm a Believer -Monkees)_**

**Title: Bachelorette Jitters **

**October 10th, 2008**

* * *

><p>Most people would be excited on the night before their wedding, but as for me; I'm a complete wreck. There was still so much I was worried about and I had run out of time. At a moment like this, I wish I had Alice's planning skills. I sighed, knowing I shouldn't have thought of Alice. I just had to hope that everything came out okay.<p>

Emily saved me a lot of trouble by helping me with all the plans. She also took it upon herself to plan my bachelorette party, unfortunately. Maybe she didn't go overboard. I opened the door to Sam and Emily's house and I was met with a barrage of pink balloons, streamers, confetti, and a table with gifts. I groaned inwardly at the sight, but I was also kind of excited. Emily came skipping over to me happily.

"Hey bride to be!" She squealed, pulling me in for a hug. I laughed and hugged her back.

"Thank you for doing this Em. You know you didn't have to." She smiled at me and hugged me again excitedly. "So, who's all gonna be here?" I asked curiously. Emily grinned and shrugged her shoulders.

"You'll just have to wait and see!" I wanted to groan; I hate surprises, but I had to do my best to be happy and enjoy all of this. I mean, I am getting married tomorrow. "The boys will be gone till tomorrow anyway, so no worries about getting interrupted!" She mused as she walked around the room, touching up bits and pieces. I hope they aren't going to a strip club.

"You don't think they are going to do a traditional bachelor party, do you?" I questioned, worry coming into my mind. Emily sighed and shook her head, coming over to me and taking my face in her soft hands.

"Bella, you have nothing to worry about. Jake is head over heels in love with you. He'd object if the guys tried to take him there anyway." I smiled, letting relief come over me. I must be nervous because I know better than to think Jake would go to a strip club. "Now, get into party mood!" Emily gleamed, running off into the kitchen. I laughed at her animated behavior.

Emily has become one of my best friends. We understand each other and she's simply amazing. The doorbell rang, which I found odd since everyone just invites themselves in. I headed to answer it and I was surprised to see who was waiting behind the door.

* * *

><p><strong>Jake P.O.V<strong>

Wow. Tomorrow, I'm getting married. I'm going to be a married man. No longer single. How in the world did I get to be so lucky? Bella is everything to me. I'm so happy that bloodsucker left when he did. Even though it tore her apart, Bella is now stronger and better because of it. She is healed and now she loves me. It's the best feeling in the world knowing that you have someone there for you, regardless of any situation going on in your life. Bella is the best thing to ever happen to me, and I know how lucky I am. It took a lot to get where we are, but I wouldn't change anything that happened. A hard punch to my side brought me out of my thoughts. Quil laughed and shook his head.

"Come on lover boy, we got a bachelor party to go to." He snorted, heading towards the beach. I laughed and took off to catch him. Quil is something else.

"So, what's the plan for tonight?" I asked when I caught up to him. He smirked and shrugged his shoulders.

"Looks like you'll have to wait and find out." I punched him in his side. He knows I hate it when he acts like he doesn't know what's going on. He laughed even harder. We headed up towards the beach where the other guys were waiting. Sam got everyone quiet when he stood up.

"Well, we all know our boy Jacob here is getting married tomorrow. Let's give him a good bachelor party and have some fun tonight." Sam smiled earnestly at me. Embry gave out a laugh.

"Are we going to the strip joint?" He asked. I glared at him and it made him laugh harder.

"We don't want to give old Jakey boy a heart attack!" Paul snorted humorously. I growled towards him. All of them could make fun of me all they want; I'd be fine with it. Sam shook his head with amusement.

"We're going to have some fun being ourselves." He grinned. I couldn't wait to change and just run. It was the most freeing feeling that I have ever experienced, but I knew how careful I had to be with my thoughts. "Let's go!" Simultaneously, we all burst out of our skins and the sound of paws thudding on the ground was heard.

* * *

><p><strong>Bella P.O.V<strong>

The beaming face of my mother met me when I opened the door. She was a ball full of excitement right now. She was more excited for my wedding than I was. She leapt inside the door and hugged me close to her. I didn't expect her to be here till later tonight! It was so good to see her. It's been awhile since the last time I had even talked to her. "My baby girl is growing up!" She squealed, her voice cracking. I hugged her tighter.

"I can't believe it either." I was full of emotion by the time we let go of each other. She wiped her eyes and had a huge smile on her face. She reached outside of the door and brought in a pink, sparkly package. Once again, I wanted to groan with exasperation.

"Oh come on Bella. You knew I was going to get you something, might as well stop being pouty about it." She teased, heading over to the table with the other presents on it. Before I could object, the door was flung open. Leah came strolling in, smiling happily. She wasn't so bad anymore now that we became friends. I hugged her.

"You ready for this?" She asked, looking around the room with disbelieving eyes. I shook my head and laughed. Some more Quileute girls that I had gotten close to showed up with their congratulations and presents. The more gifts that were put on the table, the more my nerves boiled inside. There was another knock on the door before I could complain to Emily about how much everything was. I opened the door and once again, I was surprised at who I saw.

* * *

><p><strong>Jake P.O.V<strong>

The moist dirt of the forest squished between my paws as we ran. It felt wonderful to have the wind whipping against my face, the smells of the forest surrounding me, and the incredible views in front of me.

"_Lover boy is amused with nature_" Paul's thoughts burst into my mind. I snarled at him like I usually do. He growled back and we kept running. This is better than anything a strip club could offer me.

"_Isn't that the truth"_ Sam mumbled as he led us on the run. I had no idea where we were going or how long it would take to get there, but I'm not sure it mattered. The moon was bright and full tonight. It illuminated our path, not that we needed it. Our vision was sharp and clear.

"_We're almost here"_ Quil was excited as we got closer to what sounded like running water. We were at some type of lake, and it was such a view. The moon was reflecting off of the water and it made it even brighter. The guys started phasing back into their human forms. I wasn't sure why, but I looked around and saw hot pools. I phased and jumped in with the guys. I'm glad it was never awkward between us.

"This is pretty nice, huh?" Jared said, sinking down till the water covered his shoulders. For running at a high temperature, the water felt normal, but it was still nice.

"Can you believe you're getting married tomorrow?" Embry asked. I sighed and shook my head. I couldn't believe it, but I was ready for it.

"I'm happy for you Jake." Sam said, smiling at me. I grinned back at him and nodded in agreement.

"Where's Paul?" Quil asked, looking around for him. A rustling in the bushes made us all look in that direction.

"Party's here!"

* * *

><p><strong>Bella P.O.V<strong>

Jessica and Angela stood outside of the door smiling brightly at me. It's been awhile since I've last seen them and it was a surprise that they were here. I didn't figure Emily would invite them, or that she really even knew about them. They shrieked as I pulled them in for a hug. It was so wonderful being able to have them here. They were my first friends when I moved here.

"Is anyone else going to show up, Emily?" I asked as I shut the door behind Angela and Jessica. She shook her head and smirked at me. I sighed with relief. I couldn't handle a big party right now. The girls were spread out and socializing among themselves when Emily got everyone's attention.

"As we all know, our beautiful Bella is getting married tomorrow! It's only right that we celebrate!" She grabbed some champagne from behind the counter and popped it open. I must have missed the part when everyone had gotten glasses and they were filled. Emily poured some in a glass and handed it to me. "Bella, this is to you. We wish you many happy years with Jacob full of love and joy. You deserve it. Cheers!" I felt the hot blood rush to my cheeks from all the attention as Emily finished her speech.

"I'm so happy for you Bella." Angela said, coming over and giving me another hug.

"Yeah, I never thought you'd get over Edward, and now look, you're getting married!" Jessica piped in enthusiastically. I still winced at hearing his name, but not as bad. I smiled and took another sip.

"Now, Bella should open some of her gifts!" Renee suggested. I groaned out loud this time as I was placed in a chair in front of the table full of presents. I didn't even want to look at it. "Open mine first!" She squealed. I reluctantly grabbed the sparkly pink box and started opening it while I could feel the eyes of the other girls on me. I did my best not to blush from all the attention. After getting through mounds of wrapping paper, I found myself holding a skimpy piece of lingerie. If my face could get redder than a tomato, it would have. The girls burst into laughter at my reaction.

"You didn't have to, Mom…" I sighed, trying to let the embarrassment leave my body. I was failing miserably at doing so.

"I do want grandchildren one day!" She cried in her defense. If it were at all possible, my face got even redder and the girls were still in a fit of laughter. I couldn't possibly think about that kind of thing at this moment. There was no way having kids would come anytime soon.

"Bella, you've got to learn to lighten up! Don't be so shy about everything." Jessica teased while handing me the next box. Sure, let me just work on that.

* * *

><p><strong>Jake POV<strong>

Paul emerged from the woods with a couple cases of beer and a bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey. I couldn't help but to laugh at him for his stupid dance moves he was trying to pull off as he walked over to the hot pool. He jumped in and splashed the water onto our faces.

"Jeez…We must really be celebrating or we're trying to forget our own names." Embry joked before taking a beer and cracking it open. Soon all of the guys had one including me.

"Here's to Jake. You're always going to be our brother. We wish many years of prosperity and happiness to you and Bella." Sam raised his can and we all cheered.

"You've done a lot of growing up in the last couple of years and we're all proud of you." Quil said with a smile. I grinned in response to my brother as we cheered again.

"Jakey boy here never would of had a chance if that bloodsucker was still around, but now the time has come and it's their time to shine!" Paul exclaimed jubilantly. I laughed. It was true. If that leech had never left, who would have knew when I would have imprinted on Bella? I couldn't imagine life without her.

"Thanks guys." I murmured before taking another drink. It was finally setting in. I couldn't believe that tomorrow I'd be marrying my beautiful Bella. It felt like time was took forever to get to this moment, but now that it was here; it was hard to decipher reality from my dreams.

It didn't take long for us to start competitively shot gunning beers down to see who could drink them faster. The whiskey wasn't helping my case at all either. I was really feeling the effects of the alcohol and enjoying my nice buzz as the night continued on. I was surrounded by some of the most important people in my life and tomorrow I'd be getting married. I didn't see how things could get better than this. I hope Bella is having just as good of a night as I am. Tomorrow, my life would finally begin.

* * *

><p><strong>Bella POV<strong>

It felt like my face was on fire. Why did everyone think I needed lingerie? Why couldn't they buy me a toaster or something? I really did appreciate their gestures, but come on! It's me for crying out loud. I'm no Victoria's Secret model or someone who would ever think of wearing lingerie.

"You're not still mad at us, are you?" Emily asked while coming to stand next to me in the bathroom. I had just finished washing my face; trying to wash away the embarrassment. I turned to face her before sighing.

"I couldn't possibly stay angry with any of you. It's just…I'm never going to feel confident enough to wear that kind of stuff so I feel bad that everyone wasted their money." I murmured while running a hand through my hair. Emily smiled gently at me before pulling me into a hug.

"Don't ever feel inadequate, Bella. You're beautiful just the way you are. You can't let yourself feel flawed when nobody else sees you in that manner. Trust me..." She whispered into my ear as she hugged me. I hugged her tightly before we separated. Emily was more like a sister to me than a best friend and I loved her dearly. "Now, come on! We've got a party to finish before your big day!" She exclaimed while pulling me with her back to the living room.

The night continued on with stories and memories of different things. It was pleasant to be around people who were happy for Jacob and I. It was nice to have their support and to spend the time that I did with them. I never wanted a party, but I was thankful Emily threw me one against my wishes. It was actually fun.

Tomorrow was the big day and I could not freaking believe it. Where did all the time go between May and now? It still feels like it was just yesterday that Jake and I were first dating and now we're getting married. We're both so young and the divorce rate is scary to me, but I think it's different between wolves and humans. This was taking a big step in my life and I wasn't sure I was fully ready, but I knew there was no going back; I loved Jake and this is what was meant to be. This is how my little piece of forever was supposed to turn out and I couldn't wait to see what was in store for Jake and I.

* * *

><p><strong>Hello again! It's Golden Vampire Eyes here! I know it's been forever since I've updated this story and frankly, it's been hard to write it! I've lost motivation for it but I'm trying to find some because I have very big plans with this plot. I just finished revising my old story, Not Who You Thought if you want to give that a read. <strong>

**I hope you enjoy this story and everything that I have planned with it. I'll try to update quicker than I did before. Please review and give me your thoughts, I'd love to hear them!**

**Love,**

**GVE**


	10. Wedding Bells

_**"Out of all of the girls  
>You're my one and only girl<br>Ain't nobody in the world tonight  
>All of the stars, they don't shine brighter than you are<br>Ain't nobody in the world but you and I"**_

_**(You and I -John Legend)**_

**Title; The Big Day**

**October 11****th****, 2008**

* * *

><p>I couldn't believe that I was actually getting married today. I would no longer be Bella Swan, the awkward girl who never fit in. I was becoming Bella Black, but I had to figure the rest of who I was becoming out. It was a soul search and my pieces were coming together. More than anything I knew that this is where I belonged.<p>

When I was younger and I pictured myself at the age of 21, I never pictured a wedding involved in that year. I thought that I'd be living somewhere warm and sunny with my mom while studying literature and getting on the path to becoming an English teacher/professor. I didn't picture myself going out to bars and drinking since that wasn't my scene in the first place. I may have imagined a love story, but never like this one.

Things were completely different from the way I imagine them when I was 8 and I'm sure that's how it turns out for everyone. I'm still going to college to major in literature even though it may take a bit more time since I decided to stay close to home. Living somewhere sunny and warm had not been a need of mine for years now and I was okay with that. The rain and clouds of Forks was my home and it welcomed me in. The most important thing was that I am madly in love with the man I will soon get to call my husband. It doesn't matter that I'm 21 or he's 18 or where we live; what matters is that we love each other and we can spend the rest of our lives together. We created our own love story just like a puzzle with the pieces slowly coming together.

Emily brought me out of my thoughts by gently shaking my arm. Her smile was huge when I looked up at her. A smile coming across my face was inevitable as I hugged my best friend. There were no words to express how thankful I was for all her help leading up to this moment. She took over the planning for me because I was becoming too stressed out and I think Jake had asked her to take it over as well. Either way, I was glad she did. I trusted her judgement and she knew what I liked. She took on a big responsibility of planning the cake, the music, the tables, decorations, and who knew how many other things. She took a big weight off of my shoulders and promised to make this day the most amazing day of my life and I had full faith in her.

"We should start getting you ready, Bella." She murmured happily. I groaned as she began to drag me from the comfort of the couch to the barstool in her bathroom. Rachael and Rebecca were waiting in there with torture items that most people considered makeup and curling irons. They began to attack my impossible hair and try to use the makeup to make me appear in a form that I'm not. My confidence wasn't completely low, but I still faltered with it, even though Jacob made me feel like the only girl in the world.

I wasn't sure how overboard Emily had gone with the invites. I figured we were just having a small wedding at the church here on La Push and the reception would be where the usual barbeques are; nothing too insane. It was a comforting feeling to be here and know that I'd be calling this place my home. With Emily, I never knew what to expect. I could only hope that it'd be manageable for my anxiety.

I was thankful to have Rachel and Rebecca here. We had grown so much closer since Jake proposed and they were excited that I was joining the family. It truly felt like I was becoming a part of the family. It was more than just Charlie, Renee, and I now.

"Are you excited?" Rebecca asked while messing with more of my hair. I let out a shaky breath. These nerves really need to leave.

"Of course I am. I'm also nervous." I sighed, trying not to fidget too much against their hands.

"It's going to perfect Bella, trust me." Emily said happily while helping Rebecca with a part of my hair. I smiled while letting them torture me even more.

"Do you know where you guys are going for your honeymoon?" Leah asked while coming into the bathroom. She sat on the edge of the bathtub and faced me. Jake said he had some big secret planned and I wasn't allowed to know where we were going.

"I have no idea; Jake's being secretive." I laughed nervously. It was putting me on edge not to know what he had planned, but I trusted him. We couldn't go anywhere extravagant, but I didn't need that. I just wanted to be with Jake.

It was crazy to think that after we were married that we'd be getting our own place here on the Rez together. There were perks that came with marrying a Quileute and a werewolf at that. There were a lot of things we would have to do, just like any other married couple but I believed that I was ready to take this step with him. Our life was about to begin.

"That sounds like him." Leah laughed. Rebecca and Rachael both laughed along with them. I couldn't help but feel like they knew something more about it than I did.

"Do you know what he has planned?" I asked Leah with an assuming tone. She gave me a wink before leaving the bathroom. I groaned and tried to throw my head back, but a slap to my wrist prevented me from it.

"Bella, you're the hardest person I've ever had to style." Rebecca complained while moving my head back into the place it was originally in. I stuck my tongue out at her playfully. It felt like it took forever but it didn't take long in reality to finish my hair. Before I could see the work they've done, I was flipped around to face the other direction so they could coat my face in makeup.

"You guys are going overboard." I whined. Emily snickered while patting my shoulder softly.

"You'll thank us later." She murmured and then it sounded like she left the room. That woman was crazy but I loved her anyway.

It didn't take as long as I imagined doing my makeup and I was finally turned around again to face the mirror. I gasped at my reflection and wasn't sure it was truly me. My hair was pulled halfway up and fell down my back in beautiful curls with a couple of stunning feathers pinned into it. I had the simplest but most beautiful makeup on that enhanced my features that I had never saw before this moment. It was hard to keep myself from crying, but I didn't want to ruin all the work they did.

"Thank you." I murmured while pulling both Rebecca and Rachel in for a hug. They squeezed me tightly before smiling.

"Anything for our sister." Rachael said with a genuine smile. I felt my heart flutter with happiness. I had sisters now.

"It's time for our beautiful bride to get dressed!" Emily exclaimed while skipping back into the bathroom happily with a black dress bag. Did that much time pass already that it was nearly time for the ceremony? I felt my stomach drop to my feet with excitement and nerves. I hadn't seen my dress yet, but I knew it would be gorgeous. It would be Quileute Native American inspired dress since we weren't having a traditional wedding. I was being brought into Jacob's culture; his entire life.

Rebecca and Rachael left Emily and I alone in the bathroom. She smiled anxiously at me as I unzipped the bag. Wow… It was the only word that could come to mind. The dress was stunning. The front swooped into a deep V-neck with a similar looking back. The sleeves and bottom of the dress were a beautiful white lace. It wasn't one of those long and poofy dress that I had seen in all the magazines for weddings, but it was perfect in every way possible. I squealed before hugging Emily tightly.

Emily helped me into my beautiful dress with both of us being careful not to ruin any part of my hair or makeup combo. I also had a lovely pair of white lace moccasins to match. She had tears brimming in her eyes when I turned to face her. Concern came over me quickly.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" I asked while grabbing her hand. She squeezed my hand softly before smiling. Even though she was scarred, I still viewed Emily as one of the most gorgeous people I had ever met. Her personality and her soul added to her natural beauty of her face.

"You're so beautiful Bella. I'm so happy for you and I feel lucky to be a part of this." We embraced tightly once more.

"Emily, I couldn't have made it this far without you." I whispered before we let go of each other. She smiled once more and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Can we see yet?" Rebecca asked from outside of the door. She sounded impatient and I couldn't help but laugh. Emily opened the door and I stood there anxiously. Both of the sisters smiled hugely and let out excited screams before coming to hug me. I laughed as we squeezed each other.

"You're gorgeous!" Leah said as she came back into the bathroom from hearing the excited commotion. I smiled and hugged her tightly. "Jacob won't be able to look away." She smiled to which I returned. I couldn't wait to see him.

"It's time to show your mom!" Rachael exclaimed while leading the way out of the cramped bathroom. I was thankful to be out of the torturous room and to be able to breathe clearly again. I couldn't imagine doing this all in the summer. I could hear Rachael coming back towards the living room with Renee's excited chatter following closely behind. When we made eye contact, Renee shrieked loudly as she ran to hug me.

"My baby girl…" She cried as we continued to embrace tightly. I rested my head on her shoulder and enjoyed this moment with my mom. After a few moments we let go of each other. Renee wiped her eyes and I let Rebecca fix my makeup once more. They should have invented everything to be waterproof.

"Bella, we have something for you." Rachael said before pulling out a small blue bag. She reached inside of it and pulled out a turquoise necklace with exquisite beading. It was like something you only saw in museums. "We talked to our father and we all agreed on this decision. This was our mother's and we know that she would want you to have it." I could feel my eyes start to fill with tears once more as she put the beautiful necklace on me. There was no way I was going to be able to control the water works today.

"You needed something blue for your pale face traditions anyways." Rebecca said as she wiped away the tears falling from my eyes. I hugged them tightly once more. It felt like that's all I was doing today was hugging these amazing women in my life. "No more ruining your makeup!" She chided after we let go of each other.

"Thank you so much. It's beautiful." I murmured while softly touching the piece of jewelry. I couldn't believe how flooded my entire being was with happiness and the wedding hadn't even started yet.

"We should get going to the chapel and get you in your spot. The wedding will be starting soon." Emily said with a smile.

"I can't believe my baby's getting married today." Renee cried out happily. I smiled at her.

"Neither can I." I mumbled as we began our walk over to the chapel. It was funny that it was so close. I figured in most cases people drive for a long time to get to their wedding while mine was right down the street. I couldn't keep myself from looking over to where the reception would be and I could see that Emily had already done an amazing job; it looked incredible.

The church was bigger than I originally thought but I'm sure it would be just perfect. I could tell there were already people inside but I did not stand once chance of looking at them. Immediately after entering, Emily placed me into a small waiting room after the first set of doors. It wasn't as cramped as I imagined it could have been, but I still gave her a pout in response to being locked away.

"Charlie will come get you when it's time. No peeking!" She scolded before shutting the door and leaving me to my thoughts once more.

I had no sense of time. I could have waited for hours but it only felt like seconds. My entire being was consumed with excitement and some hidden nerves. It felt like my life was truly beginning at this point. I was leaving behind the little girl and turning into a woman, as weird as it sounded. I was always mature for any of my ages, but I couldn't stop the little girl giddiness from spreading through me.

Jake was everything to me. He literally picked up the broken pieces of who I was and slowly put them back together. He was patient and loving towards me always. I knew with every ounce of my being that we were meant to be together. He brought me a happiness that I never knew existed and I couldn't wait to spend the rest of our lives together in this amount of bliss.

I could tell the wedding was getting ready to start as I heard more and more people entering the church. There was happy chatter as they passed through the doors and I smiled to myself. It was quiet outside of the door before I heard a soft knock.

"It's time." Charlie's voice came through the door. I opened it slowly and met my dad with a smile. He had tears in his eyes after looking at me for a moment. "Bella, you look beautiful. My little girl is growing up and I am so proud of you. I love you." He whispered before kissing the top of my head.

"I'll always be your little girl." He smiled at that and extended his arm to me. I hooked mine around his as we stood outside of the main doors. "Are there a lot of people?"

"Yes." He laughed. I could feel the nerves pick up again and it felt like my stomach was in my throat. "Don't worry, Bells. I got you, always." Charlie said before the doors in front of us opened.

The beautiful melody of a Native American tune rang out as we began our walk down the aisle. It was so beautiful that it didn't feel remotely real. The faces of my family and friends greeted me as they stood by their pews with smiles. There were a lot more people than I had planned for, but none of it mattered when my eyes landed on Jake.

He was gorgeous; he had one a white buckskin shirt with the frills running down the front with beading like you'd see in a Western movie; it was their tradition when it came to weddings. He wore black pants and matching moccasins to go along with it. He had a red handkerchief tied around his head with a single feather coming out of it. He looked like he had just stepped out of a magazine that I didn't believe it was truly real. How could I possibly be marrying this gorgeous man?

As we reached the end of the aisle, Charlie kissed my cheek before taking his seat next to Renee. Sue stepped forward and placed two eagle feathers into my hair as we stood on a beautifully designed mat in the front of the church. Two of the tribal elders wrapped Jake and I separately in a blue woven blankets as we turned to face the pastor. He began the ceremony with a blessing.

"Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be shelter for the other. Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other. Now there will be no loneliness, for each of you will be a companion to the other. Now you are two persons, but there is only one life before you. May beauty surround you both in the journey ahead and through all the years. May happiness be your companion and your days together be good and long upon the earth." Pastor Bradley spoke out loud for the church to hear and everyone said amen at the end of his prayer.

I could feel myself slowly drifting away from the ceremony and becoming lost in Jake's eyes. There was so much love and adoration that it nearly made me melt into a puddle. We held hands tightly as Pastor Bradley continued on with the ceremony. I wasn't sure how long we stood there but I knew I was completely mesmerized by Jake and his beauty. I could feel my tears falling as my brain absorbed the words spoken and my eyes were locked onto Jacob.

"By removing the blue blankets and wrapping them in a single white one it symbolizes this couple leaving their past lives behind them and moving forward to create a peaceful and fulfilling life together as one." As the pastor spoke, Sue and another elder removed the blue blankets from around Jake and I and then wrapped us in one white one together. Then another elder took the mat we were standing on and rolled it up for the sacredness to remain. I smiled at the loveliness of the traditions. I was so glad Emily had planned a wedding like this.

Before I knew it Jake and I were exchanging our rings. I couldn't believe how gorgeous my ring was. It was so simple, but perfect; a small diamond with a pretty silver band. I mouthed to Jake that I loved him and he responded with his wolfy smile that I adored.

"The couple will now repeat the last blessing after me before they are pronounced husband and wife." Pastor Bradley said with a smile towards Jake and I. "God in heaven above please protect the ones we love. We honor all you created as we pledge our hearts and lives together. We honor Mother Earth and ask for our marriage to be abundant and grow stronger through the seasons. We honor fire and ask that our union be warm and glowing with love in our hearts. We honor wind and ask that we sail through life safe and calm as in our father's arms. We honor water to clean and soothe our relationship - that it may never thirst for love. With all the forces of the universe you created, we pray for harmony as we grow forever young together. Amen." Jake and I repeated every word while looking into each other's eyes. I felt even more tears falling at how overwhelmed I became with my emotion for him. "Ladies and gentleman, I now pronounce Mr. and Mrs. Black. You may kiss the bride."

I felt Jake's burning lips on mine, but this time they were burning with a fervent passion. This kiss was unlike any other that I had ever experienced. It was powerful but full of love. It symbolized everything we had gone through together and made us into one. We were finally married and this kiss sealed the deal. Even more tears escaped my eyes as I thought of how lucky I was to marry this outstanding man. I could hear our family and friends cheering as we parted from our kiss with happy smiles. The Pack was letting out hoots and yells in Quileute before everyone began to sing a song in the language. I had no idea what they were singing, but it didn't make it any less magical. Jake wiped below my eyes softly before kissing me once more.

"I love you." I whispered while resting my forehead on his. His hand cupped my cheek and I pressed into the comfort of his touch.

"I love you, forever." Jake murmured softly before we turned to face our friends and family. I let out a laugh that sounded partly crazy at how my friends were cheering and smiling so big for us. We began our walk out of the church with people placing their hands on us and saying a prayer or words of encouragement. None of it felt real, but I absorbed every moment with wide eyes and happiness flowing throughout my veins.

I was now Mrs. Black. Dreams were now reality and love was always never-ending.

* * *

><p><strong>Reception<strong>

I couldn't believe my eyes at the beauty of our regular barbeque spot. Emily had decorated everything with traditional Quileute things and brought the culture alive. There were already people dressed head to toe in traditional celebration dance clothes and they were doing a symbolic dance around the big fire going in the middle of the clearing. There was a melody of beautiful drums playing from some of the tribe members and the food smelled delicious. Emily had outdone herself. Jacob held my hand tightly as we slowly made our way to the reception area. I smiled up at him and I could hear my heartbeat in my ears; maybe it was the drums.

"I'm so fortunate to be your wife." I murmured. Jake stopped walking suddenly and turned to face me. He beamed while cupping my face into his hands.

"I'm the lucky one here. I love you more than anything." He didn't give me a chance to object as he kissed me tenderly. I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. There was no better feeling than this. I was in complete and utter bliss and nothing in the world could change that; not even a meteor falling from the sky. We continued our way over towards the reception and greeted our guests with smiles of joy.

Renee was the first to run and hug me. I could feel her tears falling as we embraced firmly. "You're so grown up now Bella… I love you so much." She murmured into my shoulder as we hugged. It was hard to control my own tears but somehow I managed to. Renee let go of me before engulfing Jake into one of her tight bear hugs. He laughed and picked up her up, swinging her around. "Welcome to the family, Jacob." Renee exclaimed once he put her down.

"Thank you for having me." He grinned. It didn't take long before guests were coming up to us and making endless chatter. It was nice to feel so loved by everyone here but it was overwhelming having to talk to so many people at once. They were asking about all sorts of things; babies, names, jobs, houses, and who knows what else.

After what felt like forever, the crowd finally cleared away as they began to eat and socialize more with each other. I admitted that I was grateful to get some breathing room. Charlie slowly made his way over to Jake and I with Billy right beside him. I hugged both of my fathers tightly when they made it over to us. Charlie shook Jacob's hand firmly before clearing his throat. He hated things like this.

"Jake, I know that you will be a good husband. Please take care of my little girl and make her happy. Provide for her and love her like she deserves. Don't pull any funny business; I know where you live." Charlie was nervous at the beginning of his threat/compliment to Jacob but let out a laugh at the end. Jake smiled and it made me swoon.

"I will never hurt her, Chief Swan. You have my word." Charlie smiled once more with approval and Billy laughed.

"Look at these two adults." He said with his famous Billy grin. "I'm proud of both of you; Bella, welcome to our family." I hugged Billy once more before they both went to grab food. I was surprised that they weren't the first ones at the table eating. I wasn't sure if hunger was a possible thing at a moment like this but my stomach answered my question for me by growling.

"Gotta feed that beast." Jake laughed as he led me towards an open table. I poked him in his side before sitting down with Charlie, Billy, Renee, Phil, Rebecca, Rachael, Sam, and Emily. Jake left to grab some plates of food for us. I smiled at Emily and reached my hand out to her. She took it and squeezed it gently.

"Thank you for everything." I murmured and she squeezed my hand tighter.

"I love you Bella. That's what best friends are for." Emily said with her famous curved smile.

"I love you too." Jake reappeared with plates of delicious food and that's when I realized just how hungry I was. I tried to control how much food I stuffed into my mouth and ignore Jacob's smirk.

"Damn Bella, did you turn into a wolf too?" Seth said with a laugh as he appeared by my side. I poked him in the gut before taking a drink of my wine. It was odd to me that my husband wasn't the legal age to drink yet, but who really cared? Seth sat in the seat next to me and grinned widely at Jacob.

"Does she know yet?" He asked and I felt Jacob's foot reach in front of my legs to kick Seth. Seth groaned as he reached to rub his shin. I couldn't help but to giggle at the two.

"Keep your big mouth shut, okay? It's a surprise." Jake said while sending a wink in my direction. Charlie let out a grunt before taking another sip of his beer.

"Don't get reckless now Jacob..." He warned, but I could hear the joking tone in his voice. Jake sent him an innocent smile.

"You guys got married before Emily and I did. I thought we had you beat." Sam laughed. Emily smiled softly at him and rubbed his arm.

"Don't worry. We're next." She grinned and I smiled at them. "Maybe Bella will plan our wedding?" I felt my eyes go wide as the words left her mouth.

"Only if you want a total disaster!" Renee exclaimed with laughter. I couldn't disagree with her. My wedding planning skills were minimal; perhaps none. I didn't have the slightest clue of where to even begin.

"I'm only teasing, but I do have full faith in her." Emily smiled once more at me.

"I'm so happy for you brother." Rebecca said while making a toast to Jacob and I. I really did like both of Jacob's sister and thought of them as my own. It was an exciting thought to think that I'd have sisters now.

"You beat both of us!" Rachael said with a laugh before sticking her tongue out at Jacob in a sisterly way.

"It's only cause I'm cooler than both of you. I am the one with the wolf gene." Jake smirked proudly and stuck his tongue out at his sister. I had to admit it was one of the most adorable things that I had ever seen even if it was slightly childish.

"I'm just glad to get some peace and quiet." Billy snickered. It caused a laugh among the entire table. I loved Billy's sense of humor.

"Not entirely, Dad. We'll be right down the street and you have Rachael living with you till Paul and her tie the knot." Jacob's tone was a bit mocking and Billy let out a groan which brought laughter among the table again. Emily surprised me suddenly by standing up on her chair and letting out a tribal cry.

"It's time for our bride and groom to have their first dance!" She cheered happily before ushering Jake and I towards the dance floor set up in the clearing. I swallowed the last bit of food I had in my mouth and made sure I wasn't going to choke on anything I might have missed. That would be my luck; fall while dancing and choke while eating at my wedding.

Jake wrapped his warm arms around my waist and I locked my hands together around his neck as we began to move slowly to the tune of our first dance song.

_Our love is unconditional, we knew it from the start.  
>I see it in your eyes, you can feel it from my heart.<br>From here on after let's stay the way we are right now,  
>And share all the love and laughter that a lifetime will allow.<em>

_I cross my heart and promise to_  
><em>Give all I've got to give to make all your dreams come true.<em>  
><em>In all the world you'll never find a love as true as mine.<em>

Once more my ability to control my emotions left me along with tears flowing down my face. I rested my head on Jake's chest as he pulled me closer. It felt like we were the only two people in the entire universe right there in that moment. It didn't feel like Jake and Bella as two separate people anymore; I felt connected in a way that I had never known before. It was like we became one when we said 'I do' and shared that kiss. The rings on our finger symbolized more than just marriage, but our devotion to each other. It was amazing to me how fitting the lyrics were to our love story. No other song could have been better than this one. I could hear his heart beating as we continued to sway softly to the music.

_You will always be the miracle that makes my life complete,  
>And as long as there's a breath in me, I'll make yours just as sweet.<br>As we look into the future, it's as far as we can see,  
>So let's make each tomorrow be the best that it can be.<em>

_I cross my heart and promise to_  
><em>Give all I've got to give to make all your dreams come true.<em>  
><em>In all the world you'll never find a love as true as mine.<em>

_And if along the way we find a day it starts to storm,_  
><em>You've got the promise of my love to keep you warm.<em>  
><em>In all the world you'll never find a love as true as mine,<em>  
><em>A love as true as mine.<em>

Even after the song ended, Jake and I remained in that position for an amount of time that I had no measure of. It felt incredibly right to be in his arms and feel the warmth of his body against mine. Everything about the moment was perfect and I knew it was something that I would never forget. I would never forget the way I felt during this moment, the way we looked at each other, the touch of his lips on mine, or the sound of his heart.

It felt like the moment ended too soon when the Pack pulled Jake away for a tribal dance they were going to do. I didn't mind, too much. I didn't notice that the sun had started to leave the sky and the moon began to replace it. Apparently, we stood there longer than I thought and other music was playing that I had never heard during the entire moment. People had danced around us and I never noticed them. I smiled as they danced around the fire. The embers floated into the sky as their movements were graceful. The shadows moved on the ground with them creating a visual masterpiece. The drums rang out loud and strong, just like all the men. I was once again mesmerized by all of it. Having a traditional Native American wedding was the best option for us and I could not have been happier with the turn out. I would owe Emily big time for all of her amazing work.

Soon after their dance ended, Jake and I were saying goodbye to our friends and family. He packed the Rabbit with our luggage and had it ready to go. I had no idea where the entire day had gone, but every moment was beautiful. I would cherish these memories forever; dancing with Charlie, Jacob dancing with Renee, laughing with my new sisters, being teased by my new-found brothers in the Pack, and the loving words from so many people. I would remember the taste of the beautiful cake Emily had made and how it felt to share a toast with these wonderful people. I would remember the smiling faces of my friends and how it felt every second of today. Most of all, I would always remember what it felt like when Jake and I shared our first kiss as husband and wife.

I shared a long goodbye with Charlie and Renee before getting into the Rabbit. Charlie was worried about where we were going, but Jake assured him that we would be safe wherever we were. It still killed me that I had no idea where we would be going, but I knew patience was a virtue that I lacked in. We waved goodbye to our family and friends before heading out of La Push and onto the highway to wherever the road may take us.

* * *

><p><strong>Not all the traditions I included are Quileute traditions for weddings. In fact, I could not find any information about Quileute weddings so I went with Google and searched Native American Traditional Weddings. Most of the traditions that I included in Jake and Bella's wedding were from the Cherokee Tribe. I tried to make it as correct as possible and I hope it showed! If you want the links to the websites I used to get my info, I can PM them to you so you could check it out! I also can PM you the link to the picture of Bella's dress! It's so hard to copy URL's into a fanfiction document as they never seem to come out right! <strong>

**Chapter Ten: Surprise Honeymoon Time!**

**Who knows where everything could go from there!**

**Wedding Song: I Cross My Heart by George Strait**

**I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and I can't wait to see your reviews! Please let me know what you think! **

**Love,**

**GVE**


	11. First Time

_**"And who can love you like me?  
>Who can sex you like me?<br>Who can treat you like me, my baby?  
>Nobody, baby.<br>And who can do it like me?  
>Who can give you what you need?<br>Who can do you all night long?  
>Nobody, baby."<strong>_

_**(Nobody -Keith Sweat) **_

**Title: Honeymoon Loving **

**Lemon Warning**

* * *

><p>"Will you please tell me where we're going?" I pleaded with Jacob, trying to use the infamous puppy dog eyes, but he would not give in. He laughed once before patting my leg softly. It frustrated me to no end. We had already been driving for an hour or so and it didn't look like we were stopping anytime soon.<p>

"I'll tell you one thing and one thing only. It's a 24 hour drive." Jake's voice had excitement laced in it. Where in the world could we be going? A 24 hour drive sounded crazy!

"Why are we driving instead of flying then?" I asked with a bit of sass, crossing my arms over my chest in defeat.

"My last time on a plane wasn't that pleasurable and besides, it saves us some money." He commented with a laugh. Jake had the worst time when we flew to Florida and I felt so bad for him. Apparently, he didn't do well with turbulence then and still wouldn't do well with it now.

"I could have got us tickets." I piped in with a small smile. Jake sighed before taking a glance over at me. I could see how he felt about what I said, but it was still worth a shot.

"We're married now, Bella. It'll become our money and even if it wasn't, I still wouldn't want you to use your money to buy us tickets. Besides, a road trip allows so many opportunities. We get to sight see, sing along terribly to the radio, and spend it together." He explained with almost a pleading tone for me to understand. It still irked me a bit, but I wouldn't argue with him about it.

"You're right, I'm sorry." I breathed, leaning my head back in the seat. Jake grinned as he continued to speed down the highway. He took my hand in his warm one and squeezed it lightly. I loved the way he made me feel even by the smallest action.

"Get comfortable, Mrs. Black." Chills ran up and down my spine as the words left his mouth. I relaxed into the seat and tried my best to not let the curiosity get the best of me. I knew my attempt would be useless and it would eat at me the entire time.

I must have been more tired than I had originally thought because it didn't take long for me to fall asleep. By the time I awoke, it was daylight and there was actually a bit of sunlight. I had no idea how long I slept for or where in the world we were, but it didn't matter since Jake was right by my side.

"Good morning, sleepy head." Jake said happily before ruffling my hair. I pushed his hand away playfully and stretched. Thank God we changed before we left. I couldn't imagine riding this entire time in my dress. I was thankful for my comfortable spandex pants and Jacob's oversized hoodie.

"The sun does exist." I mused while looking out of the window. It was mainly an empty highway with a few signs advertising for pit stops. I couldn't wait till an exit sign or directional sign came into view so I could have some idea of where we were. "Where are we?" I asked. Jake chuckled and shook his head. Right, of course he wouldn't tell me a thing. I should have known better. "How long was I asleep for?"

"About 8 hours." He grinned. I stretched my tired body and groaned as I did so. Sleeping in a car was not the most enjoyable thing. We'd probably only make one or two stops to fill up the tank or use the bathroom and I couldn't wait for the first one to happen. Maybe I could ask the worker to tell me what state we were in. Jake would probably try to stop me. He was determined to keep it a surprise; no matter how crazy it made me.

"Do you need a break from driving?" I asked softly, reaching out to rub his arm. Jake shook his head. That must be his thing to do today.

"It's a wolf thing. I can control it." He smirked while looking to me before turning his attention back to the road. A sign passed by for an exit to Yreka. Where in the world is that? I knew Jake would stop me if I tried to look at the map so I didn't even bother. Another 15 hours and I would finally know where we were going. I could hardly wait.

The 15 hours passed by quicker than I imagined that they would. The car ride was actually enjoyable after we took a little break in a town called Dunsmuir. We sang along to the radio in terrible voices and completely out of tune. We played games like slug bug, license plate game, and I spy. When we weren't playing a game we spent the time just talking about anything and everything. All of the fun caused me stop paying attention to the road signs which I regretted because I could have known where we were by now. Jake suggested that I should get some sleep as we were getting closer and I guess I needed it again because my body didn't object.

"Bella…Bella…wake up sweetheart." I slowly opened my eyes and was met with the view of Jacob's smiling face. I yawned before smiling up at him. He was leaning over me through the open passenger door. We were parked and I couldn't see anything else from Jacob blocking my view.

"Can I know where we are now?" I asked while giving him my best pouty face. Jake smiled before kissing my cheek gently.

"Yes. Get out of the car." He murmured while moving to let me out of my seat. My body was thankful to be standing once more and stretching after the long car ride. I looked around once I was out of the car. It was night time and we were in a parking lot next to a large building. The sign read 'Royal Palms Resort and Spa'. It wasn't chilly outside so I knew we were somewhere that was warmer in the fall, even at night.

"Jake, please just tell me!" I exclaimed with frustration. He laughed before pulling me close to him. Our bodies were pressed tightly together as he had his arms wrapped around my waist. His warmth radiated from him and onto me. I could hear his heart beat with my head rested on his chest. He had the power to make me weak in the knees. It took me by surprise and my frustration left me for a moment.

"You're adorable when you're frustrated, baby." He murmured before kissing the top of my head. "I wanted to bring you somewhere warm, sunny, and bright for our honeymoon. I also wanted to bring you to a place that was special to you. We're in Arizona, Bella." He said before pulling away from me to watch my reaction.

I couldn't contain the smile that spread across my face and I was hugging him tightly once again. This was such a pleasant surprise! I had missed Phoenix and all that it offered! It was my childhood home other than the time I spent in Forks. I hadn't been back since the incident, but this time it was for a happy reason. I ignored the wince my heart felt at remembering the attack and pushed all the happiness I could muster into me.

"Thank you so much. I love you." I whispered into his chest as we embraced tightly. Jake rubbed my back softly before pulling my chin up to look at him.

"I love you." He said before kissing me deeply. Our kisses now felt even more real. It made me fully sure that nothing could ever come between us and he was the one I was meant to be with; forever. I broke the kiss to breathe and Jake chuckled. "Let's go get checked in." He said before grabbing our bags from the trunk of his car. He carried all 5 of them by himself as we headed towards the hotel entrance.

"I can carry a bag, you know…" Jake laughed at my attempt to allow him to let me do something for myself. He did more for me than I could ever repay him for and there would never be a day that I was ungrateful for him.

"I suppose I could, but then you wouldn't be able to stare at my muscles." He winked at me and a blush spread across my cheek.

"I do enjoy seeing that." I laughed while we walked towards the check in desk. The receptionist eyed Jacob for his height or beauty, maybe both. I felt a surge of protectiveness come over me and I made sure she saw my ring as I put my hand on Jake's arm.

"Hello, I have reservations under Black." Jake said before throwing a grin in my direction. Oh, how I love this man.

"Yes, Mr. Black! We can have someone help to bring your bags up to your room. Here is your key. Please enjoy your stay at the Royal Palms." The receptionist exclaimed in a happy voice while handing me the key to our room. I smiled towards her while a bellhop took some of the bags from Jake and started to head towards the elevator. Jake and I followed him suit, hand in hand. We stopped at the third floor and headed down a small hallway till we reached a pretty oak door. I swiped the key and the bellhop entered first, placing the bags near the door before leaving.

Our room was incredible. It was so big and open that it amazed me. There was a patio that overlooked Camelback Mountain that was beautiful at sunset/sunrise. Farther down the wall there was a large window that had two chaises' set near it with beautifully designed end tables. It would be perfect during the day with the sun hitting it. I turned to smile at Jake who had the same look of amazement in his eyes that I did.

"This is incredible…" I thought aloud while looking around the room. I still couldn't believe that we'd be staying here. It was more than perfect and I couldn't believe Jake would do something like this for me.

"Nothing could compare to how beautiful you are, Bella." Jake murmured while wrapping his arms around my waist from behind. I leaned back into him as we walked together down the small hallway to explore the rest of our room. We reached the end and came into a gorgeous bedroom.

The bed was a California King that had plush blue bedding with exquisite embroidery. There was a swinging chair hanging from the roof in the right corner of the room. Next to it was a door that opened to another patio with a view worth painting. On the other side of the room there was a window with wooden shutters that were open to reveal the amazing bathroom. The tub was huge with Jacuzzi like settings; definitely big enough for two people. There were unlit candles surrounding the bathtub and rose petals all around the room. It was breathtaking.

"My beautiful wife…" Jake whispered in my ear, sending chills running all across my body. I could feel the hair on the back of my neck raise as his warm breath started to move down my neck, leaving soft kisses. His hands toyed with the hem of the hoodie I was wearing before he slowly pulled it over my head, leaving me in a tank top. He slowly ran his fingertips up and down my arms, causing me to melt into a puddle.

I knew this moment was coming and I had anticipated it since the proposal. Jake and I would lose our virginity to each other. I could hear my heart beat in my ears as I felt the anxiousness or nervousness come over me. I didn't know how to do any of it, but I did know I wanted to share every moment with Jake.

Suddenly, he swung me into his arms bridal style and walked to the huge bed. He sat me down softly in the middle of the bed and removed my shoes. "Are you ready?" He asked. I could hear the nervousness laced into his tone. It was the first time for both of us, but there was nobody else I'd rather have this experience with. I crawled over to the edge of the bed and stood up on my knees. I wrapped my arms around his neck and crashed my lips to his with a passionate fury.

"I'm nervous too, but there is nobody else in world I'd rather share this moment with. I'm ready if you are." I managed to get out through my heavy breathing after I broke the kiss. Jake gazed into my eyes deeply and I found myself lost in his. I could see the desire burning in his eyes and it caused a fire to spread throughout my body. Every part of me needed him. I craved his touch, his kiss, and the feeling of him against me. He nodded before pulling my face back to his and kissing me hard.

The warmth of his body left mine tingling. His lips were warm on mine as were his hands that were on my jaw while we kissed. Anytime he would touch me, I'd shiver from the sensation. I was addicted to his touch and loved the way it made me feel.

As we explored each other's mouths, my hands ran down his body, feeling every single defined muscle. I pulled his shirt off, breaking our passionate kiss for a moment and marveled at his beauty. He was so muscled and strong and I couldn't stop myself from staring. Our lips met again, moved with the heat of the moment. I ran my hand across his bare chest slowly as possible, causing Jake to visibly shudder.

Slowly, I moved my hand to the waist line of his pants and teasingly glided my fingers over his hip. I ran my hand across the bulge in the front of his pants and I couldn't believe how large he felt. Jake groaned into our kiss and the sound only fueled my desire. I slid his pants down quickly, taking his briefs with them; leaving Jake completely bare. I broke our kiss to catch my breath and gawk at him once more. Oh my God. I knew Jake was big, but I never expected that he was this big. It must be another wolf thing…

I ran my hands down his chest once more, stopping at his hips. I kissed his neck, nipping softly at his warm skin. Slowly, I started to kiss my way down his chest. I playfully swirled my tongue around his nipple and Jake nearly growled; which I found to be one of the most attractive sounds I had ever heard. My journey downward continued as I softly sucked on his skin as I went; leaving little marks in a trail. I positioned myself so that I could lie on my stomach and have my face right in front of him. I looked up at Jake with half lidded eyes and he nodded while biting his lip; the sight of him aroused me even more.

Gradually, I began to take his erected member into my mouth. He was even warmer there than the rest of his body. I wasn't sure how to do any of this, but Jake's moan obviously meant I was doing something right. I couldn't fit all of him in my mouth so what was left I started to stroke with my hand while I sucked on him. Jake tangled his hands into my hair and guided my motions, moaning the entire time.

"God, Bella…you have no idea how amazing this feels…" He moaned out and I could feel a growing wetness between my legs. I continued to bob my head back and forth while taking as much of him into my mouth as I could. I swirled my tongue around his tip and he tensed. I looked up at him to watch the muscles in his neck flex as his head was tossed back. Moans were freely leaving his mouth as I continued to suck and stroke him. Jake started to shake and grabbed a fistful of my hair as he released into my mouth. I swallowed while looking up at him. His breathing was ragged and his eyes were burning with lust. Jake pulled me back up so that we were face to face. "Thank you." He whispered before his lips were attacking mine.

He wasted no time in taking my shirt off. His burning hands explored my body. He dragged his fingertips at an antagonizing slow pace across my collarbone and down my side. I reached back to unhook my bra and let it fall to the ground. Jake's eyes were wide as he looked at my chest before he started to massage my breasts in his hands. I couldn't control the moan that escaped me at the sensation. He began to nip and suck at my nipples causing me to grip tightly onto his shoulders while arching my back.

One of his hands snuck down to in-between my legs. He rubbed me through the thin layer of my spandex and I shuddered at the sensation. I wanted to feel more of it. My hips grinded on his hand instinctively as I moaned out. Jake pulled off my pants quickly and discarded my panties in the same matter. He laid me back onto the bed on my back and lay on his stomach.

He left a trail of soft burning kisses across my stomach and down to my hip. His fingers teased me incredibly as they lightly brushed over my folds. I whimpered and Jake looked up suddenly; concern on his face. I shook my head and arched my hips up, hoping he would get the picture. He smiled seductively before slowly sliding one finger into my hot core. I moaned out loudly and felt myself tighten around his finger. Jake groaned out before kissing his way from my hip down to my thigh and then in-between my thighs.

I felt his hot breath on my center and it sent me crazy with desire. My head was swirling with lust and it was hard to keep my eyes open. Jake kept moving his finger slowly in and out of me and then I felt another sensation. His hot mouth was suckling my swollen nob and my moan was the loudest it had been all night. He continued his motion with his hand while his tongue explored my sensitive area. I could feel myself arching my back and thrusting my hips to meet his movements. I couldn't control the sounds leaving my body as I easily gave into his touch.

Suddenly, his movements stopped and he removed his hand from me. I whimpered in protest and lifted my head to look at him. He smiled lustfully at me before crawling up in-between my legs. I could feel his member at my entrance, but he wasn't entering me. Jake kissed me softly and slowly stroked my arms.

"I love you so much…" He breathed out heavily. I kissed him tenderly and ran my fingers through his hair. He was my entire world and I wanted to share this with him. I needed to share this with him.

"I love you more." I whispered before curving my hips into him. He moaned out and positioned himself to enter me. I felt his tip lightly dip into my wet folds and I needed to feel more of him inside of me; my body craved it.

Slowly, he pushed into me and a sensation of pain overcame the pleasure as he tore away my hymen. I cried out in pain while biting my lip, trying not to let tears escape my eyes. I turned my face away from Jake so he wouldn't have to see my agonized expression. Jake had a look of pain across his face as he looked down at me; regret was written in his expression. He held completely still as I adjusted to the pain.

"I'm so sorry baby…" He murmured while leaning down and kissing along my jaw softly. He left gentle kisses on my neck before working his way up to my lips. He continued to whisper sweet things into my ear as I adjusted to the pain; pleasure slowly started to replace the discomfort. I cupped his cheek softly before pulling him to kiss me forcefully.

"Don't be sorry…" I told him quietly. "This is one of the best moments of my life. It's not your fault, it's meant to hurt, but I'm okay." I assured him and he looked at me with concern once more. I nodded slowly and he began to thrust into me for the first time.

My world was exploding into different colors as light dotted my vision. The fire began to burn throughout my body again; making me ache with want. I needed him more than anything else. I moaned as he continued to thrust in and out of my wet center. Jake's eyes were glazed over with pleasure as he groaned at the sensations he was experiencing. He began to pick up pace and my cries and shouts of desire went with him.

I felt hypersensitive to the world around me as he thrust in and out of me; filling me completely. My world was spinning with the emotions I was undergoing. It was nothing I had ever felt before and I loved the feeling of Jake inside of me; being as close as possible and tying ourselves together. I knew that nobody else in the world could make me feel the way that he did.

It wasn't long before a feeling started to build up inside of me. I could feel myself getting closer and closer to going over the edge. My stomach clenched and I began to shake violently. My moans left my lips in a slur of passion as I went over the edge. I was on the highest of peaks and jumped off; falling directly into my climax.

Jake could feel me tightening around him and his eyes became constricted as well. He plunged into me a few more times before pulling out and releasing his climax on my stomach. He breathing was ragged as was mine. He reached for a towel on the nightstand and wiped me clean before pulling me into his arms. Our bodies were covered with a layer of sweat and it caused us to stick to each other even more.

"That was incredible…" He murmured softly in my neck. I turned to face him and smiled in pure bliss. I felt like I was still coming down from my high. He stroked my cheek gently and brushed my hair out of my face.

"Just think; we can share that whenever we want to." He smirked at my words and pulled me close. He softly ran his fingertips across my back causing me to shiver with the pleasure it brought.

"There is no other person in this entire world that I would ever want to share something so special and amazing with. You make me feel amazing in every way possible. I love you Mrs. Black." He whispered softly while looking into my eyes. I could see the love glowing inside of them and it made my heart overfill with happiness.

"I love you too Mr. Black." We kissed fervently and I could feel my arousal growing again. Sharing this seemed like it was going to take place a lot and not a single part of me was bothered by it.

* * *

><p><strong>Honeymoon Fun<strong>

Waking up in Jake's arm gave me a happiness that I had been missing since our week in Florida. Everything still felt like a dream, but I knew it wasn't. I was now his wife and the thought thrilled me completely.

The sun was filling into the room through the open window and it created a beautiful view. I could hear Jake's light snoring and I smiled softly to myself. I slipped out of his arms quietly and snuck to the bathroom, careful to not wake my sleeping husband.

There was an all glass shower next to the bathtub. I turned on the water quickly and slid inside. I lost myself in my own thoughts as I showered. I was musing over everything that had happened within the last few days and couldn't control my happiness. I never thought that this would be my life, but I wouldn't change any part about it. Jake healed every part of my heart that was shattered into pieces. Even though a part of me would always love Edward, it would never be relevant again with Jacob in my life. He was my entire world and I wasn't sure where I would be without him.

My heart nearly came out of my chest when I turned to get out of the shower and saw Jake standing there with a smile on his face. I let out a terrified scream at the surprise which sent him into a fit of laughter. I laughed at myself for screaming and got out of the shower; wrapping a towel around my body.

"Enjoy the show?" I asked playfully as I wrapped a towel around my hair. Jake chuckled and came over to me, wrapping his arms around me. He was still bare from our amazing night of making love.

"Very much." He whispered into my ear; sucking gently on my earlobe. I giggled and gave him a peck on the cheek. I wanted him very badly, but I knew I was too sore to do anything at the moment. Jake pouted and I stuck my tongue out at him playfully.

"So I'm just taking the wild guess that you have made plans for us today?" I mused lightly as I went towards our luggage to get clothing for the day. I brought clothes for Jake and met him in the bedroom.

"You're right." He grinned before going off towards the shower. I laughed at his craziness and got dressed. I pulled on a pair of light jeans with a grey softball tee with black sleeves. Arizona wasn't freezing in October like Forks probably was. It was a nice 72 degrees outside, according to the clock on the wall.

I headed back into the bathroom to attempt to do something with my hair; I settled for a sideways braid. "I guess you'd say, what can make me feel this way; my girl, my girl! Talking bout my girl!" Jake's voice startled me as he began to sing. I looked over my shoulder and saw Jake shaking his butt in the shower; my giggle was inevitable.

There was now a happiness and joy in my life that I had never known. Jake brought a smile to my face even on days where nothing went right. He could make me laugh so easily. Even after all the time we spent together, I still got butterflies in my stomach at seeing him, his smile still made my heart race, his laugh made my face hurt from smiling, his touch ignited a fire under my skin, and his voice soothed me when I was worried. He completed the parts of me that I lacked in just like two ingredients coming together in a recipe. It really did feel like he was my better half and I couldn't imagine not having him; the thought terrified me.

I decided to venture out on one of our patios and wait for Jake to finish his shower. I felt intrusive if I spent too much time in the bathroom while he had his dance contest with himself. Arizona had a different beauty than Forks did. Forks was beautiful in its own way, but nothing could compare to the clear blue sky and fresh air of Phoenix. It was hardly ever humid here and the sun was in the sky most days. The desert landscape had been my home for so many years. I remember falling into a cactus, chasing jack rabbits down the road, going to the lake and getting the worst sunburn of my life, and soaking up all that Phoenix offered to me.

The water shut off in the shower and I went back inside after my musing. Jake was already dressed in his cut off shorts and t-shirt and ready to go. I smiled at him and I could feel the adoration radiating through my body. "What's the plan for today Chief?" I asked playfully as we walked towards the door.

"Bella, I have so much stuff planned that you could not even begin to imagine. Our week is going to be full of excitement!" He teased as we began our descent to the first floor.

"Jake, I used to live here. I know just about everything there is to do." He rolled his eyes at me and laughed deeply.

"You have me there. Have you been to the Heard Museum?" Jake asked as we got into his Rabbit. I could faintly remember taking a field trip there as a child, but nothing more than the fact it was a Native American historical museum.

"I was there once many moons ago." I could barely get the sentence out without giggling. Jake's laugh made my heart rate increase.

"Get ready to go again, young grasshopper!" He exclaimed playfully. Oh Jake!

"That's a Chinese thing, isn't it?" I inquired, humor lacing into my voice. Jake stared at me blankly before laughing again.

"Don't judge me, Bella." He threatened with a grin. I smiled at him as we began our first official day of our honeymoon.

Jake wasn't kidding when he said he had more things planned then I could even imagine. It was the last night of our stay in Phoenix and my body was exhausted. After we had gone to the Heard Museum, the next day Jake planned a hike for us up Camelback Mountain; one of the toughest mountains to climb in Arizona. After falling and nearly killing myself several times, Jake decided to piggy back me up the more the ¾'s of the mountain. I only had a few bruises and cuts, but Jake still took care of me like I just lost part of my liver.

The day after our hike was full of several different things. We went to Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall and Jake bought me a ridiculously priced dress that I had eyed for five seconds. I had no idea where I'd even wear something like it, but I still thanked him regardless. I'd never be ungrateful for something he did for me, even if it was against my protest not to do it.

After our adventure at the mall, Jake took us to Food Truck Friday in Downtown Phoenix. DTPHX was one of my favorite places to go as a kid. It was full of life and people buzzing everywhere. After lunch we had gone to the Science Museum which was another place I had gone to as a child. It was still pretty cool either way.

The day after the mall trip we had gone to the Desert Botanical Gardens. It was one of the most popular things for people to do in Arizona; especially for tourists. It was the time of the year when there was Chihuliy everywhere. Chihuliy is giant glass sculptures that twist and bend to create urban art. They light up at night too and it was really beautiful. It was the perfect time of year for us to be here too since we were evading 115 degree summer temperatures. Jake loved making jokes about how Arizona treasured the cactus like a sacred antique.

The next three days were spent doing random things around town. We tried different restaurants, saw a couple of movies, went to an illusion show, went canoeing in the city lake, and visited several different parks. The thing that made me the sorest was our horseback riding adventure. I had taken a few lessons as a kid, but my skill set was clearly lacking. I had fallen off three times in our trail ride and that left me with more battle scars. Jake felt terrible about me getting hurt, but I assured him I was having a great time with him. It wasn't a lie. This had been one of the best weeks of my entire life.

I was sad that it was our last night in Arizona, but I couldn't wait to go home. Jake and I would be getting our own house on La Push and it'd really be our home. I'd still work at Newton's to offer income for us and Jake said he'd find a job outside of doing the pack. There had been no sightings of any vampires near the town in years so everyone was back to feeling safe.

The thought bothered me a little that not one of the Cullens, not even Alice, had come back to check on me. I thought I was important to them, but I was wrong. I doubt it would change the way I felt about them all. I groaned out loud and slapped myself mentally for thinking of them. It had been three years and I still thought of them. The whole 'never existed' thing was a lie.

I tossed over onto my stomach in the bed. Jake had gone out to get us dinner and I knew he'd be getting back soon. I wasn't hungry for food in the slightest way. It was our last night here and I wanted to make it as special as possible.

Hurriedly and clumsily, I lit the candles in the bathroom that surrounded the tub and started the water. I made sure they were a safe enough distance from anything that could catch fire because wouldn't that be a turn off. I laughed aloud at myself before going to my suitcase. I knew Rebecca had snuck lingerie in there when I wasn't looking.

After some rummaging, I finally found the one I had looked for. It was a see through black lacy dress that revealed everything. I felt the blood rush to my cheeks at the thought of myself in it. How in the world would I be able to pull this off? Nervousness spread through my body as I dressed myself in the skimpy piece of clothing. I turned the water off just as I heard Jake unlocking the door. Oh God, here goes nothing. I shut the lights off in the bathroom and sat in the flickering light of the candles.

"Honey, I'm home." Jake called out into our room. I tried my best to suppress my giggle. I needed to get it together. Now was not the time for giggles! Giggles weren't sexy! I heard Jake set the food down on the counter in the main room and his footsteps started coming towards me. The thudding of my heart in my ears became louder as he came closer. "Where are you?" He taunted lightheartedly before stopping in front of the open bathroom door. I knew he could see me clearly, even with the dim light from the candles. A gasp left his lips as his eyes raked over my body.

I had set myself in a position that was supposed to be sexy; according to magazines anyways. I was sitting on the closed toilet with my legs open and hair falling around my face. The thin fabric of my lingerie barely covered me. I bit my lip and looked up at Jake. He stepped into the bathroom slowly and stood in front of the door. His eyes were wide and I could hear his breathing becoming heavier.

"Do you like what you see?" I asked him in a sultry voice. In a flash, Jake was on his knees in front of me. His hands gripped my hips tightly as he pulled me closer to him. I could see his eyes clearly and there was a hunger burning inside of them. I didn't give him a chance to respond and started to attack his neck. My tongue rolled out against his collarbone before I slowly kissed my way up his neck, along his jaw, and to his ear. I was breathing heavily from the onslaught of arousal. "Let's get in the tub…" I breathed out before sucking gently on his earlobe.

Jake groaned out loudly and stood up, pulling me up with him. I wrapped my legs tightly around his waist as I kissed my way down his neck once more, nipping at his delicate flesh. Jake's entire body was rigid at the sensations and he struggled to keep his balance. He was moaning quietly and it was sending my body crazy. I slowly slid down off of him and started to undress myself. Jake watched me with lustful eyes as I stepped into the warm water in the large tub.

A crazy idea came into my head and I decided to give it a try; nervous as ever. I lifted one of my hands from under the water and started to massage my breast; toying with my nipple. The other hand slowly snaked its way down my body and I began to pleasure myself; letting a moan escape as I threw my head back. Jake growled deeply in his chest and I heard his clothes coming off.

He sat down in the tub and immediately pulled me on top of him. I could feel his heart beating as our chests pressed together. There was a distinctively harder part of him pressing against the outside of my center. He tangled his hands in my hair as he kissed my neck. He began to run his fingers along my side, sending chills throughout my entire body. He began to move so he could enter me, but I stopped him. His eyes were shocked when he looked at me.

"Let me do the work tonight…"I murmured into his ear, causing him to moan out in pleasure. I sucked his earlobe gently before kissing down his neck and softly biting his tender spot in the curve that separated his neck and collarbone. I lifted my head back up to look at him and I moaned at the sight. He had his head tossed back, the muscles in his neck exposed, and he was moaning quietly. I pulled him by his neck to look at me before kissing him hard.

During our kiss, I moved so that I could slide down onto him. We both broke our kiss with our moans. I began to pump myself up and down on him; my tight hole taking him in completely. I moved faster as my need for release got stronger. I clutched Jake's shoulders tightly as he gripped my hips, guiding my movements.

He suddenly started to thrust into me; meeting my own pumps as I cried out with desire. My body was engulfed in the flame of desire as I rode out my orgasm, burying my face into Jake's neck as my body shook with pleasure. Jake thrust a few more times before pulling out and releasing his climax. Our breathing was ragged as we laid in that position.

"Thank you for that surprise…" He whispered into my ear, holding me close to him. I smiled into his neck. The water became cold, but my entire body stayed warm as we stayed there for a while longer, staring into each other's eyes while the candles made light dance on the walls. Our breathing was in sync as we held each other close.

This is what complete bliss felt like.

And it was mine forever.

* * *

><p><strong>Lots and lots of lemons here! Jake and Bella are so cute that it makes me nauseous! <strong>

**I love that nobody has any idea of what I'm doing with this story and I have a lot of plans for it! There is going to be some intense stuff that happens in this story and I can't wait to get to it!**

**I know it might be hard to read through all the chapters I have so far since there isn't any real action, but I would really appreciate it if you would review and let me know what you think! I've updated without getting reviews, so I might stop and just write the chapters and wait till I get reviews to post them.**

**Love,**

**GVE **


	12. New Beginnings

_**"I'm falling even more in love with you  
>Letting go of all I've held on to<br>I'm standing here until you make me move  
>I'm hanging by a moment here with you<br>I'm living for the only thing I know  
>I'm running and not quite sure where to go<br>And I don't know what I'm diving into  
>Just hanging by a moment here with you"<strong>_

_**(Hanging by a Moment -Lifehouse)**_

**Title: The Start of a New Life**

**October 2008**

* * *

><p>It was hard to believe that our week in paradise was over and we were already back in Washington. I'd miss the sun and the warmth from Phoenix, but Forks was always going to be my home. The green welcomed me in like a security blanket. None of it felt real in any way possible. Everything felt like a dream and I never wanted to wake up from it. I had the most amazing man for a husband and my life was falling into place. It might have taken a long time to get to this moment, but none of that mattered now. I had the ability to say that I was truly happy and that was something I cherished.<p>

Jake made me happy in ways that were miniscule compared to what it could take for someone else to be happy. Little things like smiling at me, holding my hand, or simply making conversation with me were enough to send my heart pounding and happiness flooding through me. I enjoyed all of the little things together; whether it was watching a movie, walking through the park, or watching the stars.

Every moment that I spent with him it felt like my heart was growing even larger with love. Sure, there might still be love for someone else, but it was shadowed by Jake's light. He was my sun and lit up my world; creating the perfect setting every single day. It was incredible being with someone who understood every part of you and loved you regardless of flaws. Jake had never tried to change me in the entire time that I had known him and it made him even more special.

I still couldn't wrap my mind around the idea that Jake and I would be able to spend every night together. Our usual routine felt like it was still in place, but I knew that wouldn't be the case for long. There were no more rules we had to follow. We could do whatever we wanted to in our own home without the fear of being punished. It was both nerve-racking and freeing at the same time.

"I'm so excited." Jake mused happily as we finally pulled into La Push. It felt like the drive home took even longer than the drive there. I don't know if it was because of our excitement for picking out our house or something else.

"Me too." I murmured. I didn't add on the snide comment about being excited to get out of the car. I had forced myself to control the bouncing of my legs during as we had gotten closer and closer to home. Excitement was eating its way through my body for so many different reasons.

Jake pulled up to Billy's house and parked off to the side. We got out slowly and the crisp air of Washington hit me brutally. Goodbye warmth. I was excited to see everyone and tell them of our adventures. I couldn't wait to talk to Emily and tell her all about it. Billy rolled down the long pathway leading to the front door of his house excitedly. Charlie was right behind him with a skip in his step. They both had huge smiles plastered all over their faces.

"Bella!" Charlie exclaimed while hugging me tightly. I breathed in his musky scent and hugged him back just as tightly. I had missed him while we were gone, even though it was only for a week. I was used to seeing my Dad nearly every day, but things do change. Billy and Jake shared a quick hug before we changed and I was hugging Billy. He smiled deeply at me; his laugh lines and wisdom marks showing profoundly.

"You don't look like such a pale face anymore." Billy mused with a laugh. I stuck my tongue out at him. My sunburn had turned into a decent tan.

"Jeez…haven't you ever heard of sunscreen?" Charlie teased while looking at my slightly darker face. I laughed and shrugged my shoulders at his concerned tone. Jake actually didn't pack any sunscreen at all. He forgot about the pale face.

"It looks lovely!" Emily squealed, startling me to death. She had run up behind me and jumped on my back, nearly knocking us both over. Fortunately, I was able to steady myself out so I didn't kill either of us. We were both in a fit of laughter once she jumped down. I embraced her tightly; I missed my best friend.

"It's good to see you too, Em." I laughed after we let go of each other. She showed her famous curved grin to me before I noticed the mischievous look in her eyes. Billy and her exchanged looks before he nodded and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a set of keys and jingled them with a smile.

"While you were away, Emily took the liberty of decorating your new home." Billy said with a gesture to Emily, who had her grin glued to her face. "We will have our traditional bonfire to welcome newlyweds into their new home tonight near the beach. Bella, Jacob, I hope you enjoy your new home together as you open this door in your lives." Billy handed Jake the keys to our home and I couldn't help the tears that welled up into my eyes and spilled over. Damn, tear ducts. I hugged Billy tightly before letting him go.

"Thanks, Dad." Jake murmured while shaking hands with his father and then mine. Charlie smiled but I could see how the thought still bothered him. He hated the fact that I was growing up so fast and changes in my life were coming up from every direction, but he was supportive nonetheless. I couldn't believe that we actually had our own home and we would be living together.

"I'll go with to lead the way." Emily mused in a sing song voice before getting into the backseat of the Rabbit. It was still really packed with our luggage, but she squeezed her way inside. I laughed at my crazy best friend and got back into the car. Jake smiled once more at the two most important men in our lives before he got behind the wheel and began the drive to our home. _Our home. _

The drive was short as Emily gave Jake directions on where to go. We were about a ten minute walking distance from Sam and Emily's house and 15 minutes from Billy's. A smile exploded onto my face as we got out and stood in front of our home.

It was absolutely perfect. It was a small red brick house that had a blue door with blue trimmings around the two windows that faced the front yard. There was a small wooden fence that went around the front yard, making it enclosed with a gate that would swing open in the middle of the pathway that led to the door. There was lush green grass growing in the front yard and a couple of rose bushes with beautiful flowers. There was a picnic table to the left side of the yard that had ancient carvings into it. My throat constricted as more tears welled into my eyes at the beauty of my new home.

My sudden hug took Emily off guard but she squeezed back tightly. I couldn't thank her enough for all she had done for both Jacob and I. She was the best friend that I ever had. No words needed to be exchanged as she smiled before walking off towards her home. I looked up at Jake who had a large toothy smile on his face.

Jake laughed before swooping me into his arms, bridal style. I giggled and wrapped my arms around his neck. His heat warmed my body and I snuggled into his arms. He opened the small wooden gate and walked up the path to our door. He unlocked it slowly and carried me inside.

The inside of our home was even more breathtaking than the outside. The walls were a beautiful crème color with cherry wood floors. There were beautiful Quileute paintings and artifacts surrounding the house; vases, baskets, and more. To the left of the threshold there was a small living room with a large beige leather couch. Next to the couch there was a rocking chair that had elegant carvings.

To the right of the threshold there was a kitchen. It wasn't extravagant, but it was beautiful. There was an island in the middle with a gorgeous wood covering the top of it; there was also a refrigerator and microwave. There was a small space to the left of the kitchen that had a beautiful wooden table with 4 chairs surrounding it. It was where one of the windows were located that showed our front yard; it filled the room with light.

We continued our way down the hallway to find three doors. One of them led to the bathroom which had exquisite Quileute decorations inside. We had a medium sized tub with a shower head above it. The walls were lined with white tile and it made the room bright. There was a gorgeous mirror that had turquoise beading surrounding it. The next door led to a guest bedroom that was empty. The final door must be our room. I felt the excitement bubble in my stomach as Jake opened the door. My jaw dropped at the sight.

In the medium sized room there was a large bed with a Pendleton blanket covering it. The beautiful and bright designs stood out against the crème colored walls and brought vibrancy to the room. There was an extremely pretty headboard made out of dark wood behind the bed. There were wolves carved into the outer sides of the headboard that stood out perfectly. In front of the bed there was a wooden box with cushions that looked like it could be used to store things in. There were two nightstands; one of either side of the bed. The both held lamps on top of them and they were the same beautiful dark wood color. The closet was covered with a full length mirror and it had sliding doors that opened from either side.

Jake set me down onto our new bed gently and admired the room once more before crawling on top of me. I wove my fingers into his hair and pulled his face down so our lips could lock. Our kiss was slow and special; savoring every moment. As we pulled away with heavy breathing, Jake smiled down at me. I knew I had the same smile on my face; I could see it in his eyes that shone with love.

"Welcome home, baby." He murmured softly before kissing me again. I knew our bed was going to broke in many times, not in the literal sense.

* * *

><p><strong>Welcome Home Bonfire<strong>

Jake and I had lain together in our new bed for what felt like hours; making the smallest conversation, but still reveling in our happiness. It felt so surreal that this was our home and we'd be living here together; making a life together. Our moment of bliss was interrupted by Emily barging into the room. Jake quickly covered our bodies with the sheets as I felt the hotness rush to my cheeks.

"Oh God! I didn't think I'd see that!" She cried out playfully as she covered her eyes. She stood in the doorway with her hands over her eyes and rocked back and forth on her heels. Jake groaned and rolled his eyes.

"How'd you even get in here?" He grumbled which caused Emily to laugh. She took one hand away from her eye, but kept it closed as she held out a key to us.

"You have a spare key under the mat outside in case of emergencies." She giggled as she brought her hand back up to cover her eye once more.

"Is there an emergency?" I asked, a bit of concern coming into my voice. Once again, Emily's giggle filled our room and I smiled at her. This must have been just as awkward for her as it was for us, but at least she had clothes on.

"It's time for the bonfire." She stated like it should have been obvious to us. Jake laughed and ran his hand through his hair. "Be down at the beach in 15 minutes. With clothes…" She teased before turning on her heel and leaving the room. I couldn't help myself with laughter at the situation. Jake smiled at me before getting out of bed. I didn't want to get out of bed, much less put clothes on to go in public. I gave him a small pout and he smiled softly at me. Jake walked over to my side of the bed and ducked his head down to kiss my lips chastely.

"Don't worry. You won't be getting any sleep tonight." He teased before he started to get dressed. I felt the blood rush to my cheeks once more as a nervous giggle escaped my lips.

Within 15 minutes we were down at First Beach with the rest of our friends and family. There was already a huge fire going in the sand pit that had rocks surrounding it. The fire lit up the sky as embers danced into the air; creating a beautiful moment. Seth and Jared were jumping around the fire like crazy men, howling and crying out to the bright moon above. Sam and Emily sat bundled together on one of the long fallen tree logs the boys had set up to go around the fire pit. Charlie was talking to Sue and another member of the tribe named Lynn. Most everyone was there already besides a few people that were known for showing up fashionably late. There were bags of pretzels being passed around along with candy and sugar covered fry bread. I could feel the happiness before we were even near everyone.

Jake had his arm wrapped around me tightly, keeping me warm from the biting October air. I had a long-sleeved shirt and sweatshirt on, but I was still able to freeze. It wasn't nearly as cold as it usually gets, but then again, I never liked the cold. Ironic, right?

I sat next to Emily with a blanket wrapped around us. It was doing a pretty good job at fighting off the crisp breeze that threatened to freeze my body completely. Jake went to be with his brothers after their week apart. I knew it was hard on him with the bond they have, but it made seeing them even more special.

"I'm glad to see you with clothes on." Emily teased before taking a bite off of her Twizzler Licorice. I glared at her playfully which caused her to laugh.

"I would have died if you actually walked in on us." I laughed, the feeling of embarrassment still flowing through my body. She made a gagging sound and I shoved her arm lightly, laughter leaving both of us.

"So, tell me everything!" Emily exclaimed excitedly. Her excitement flooded into me as I began to tell her all the details of my lovely honeymoon. "He did not take you up the biggest freakin' mountain, did he?" She gasped with amusement in her eyes. I nodded and lifted my shirt so she could see one of my bruises. She grimaced before letting out a laugh.

"The uncoordinated should be left on flat surfaces." I grinned.

"Bella, you still trip then." Leah said as she came to join us on our log. The heat that radiated off of her body quickly warmed both Emily and I. They had started to get along a bit better and I was thankful for that. I knew it'd be a lot better once Leah imprinted, but who knows when that day would get here. I rolled my eyes at Leah and her silly insults.

"Don't pick on me." I teased, showing her my battle scars. She laughed as she shook her head, her short hair falling around her face.

"That's Jacob for you." She murmured while throwing a glance in his direction. I followed her gaze and smiled at the sight. Jake was wrestling playfully with Quil while Jared and Embry made bets; just like the old days. Some things never change.

"Everyone, please gather around." Billy called out amongst the group of people. People began to sit on the logs set up around the fire and all eyes were on Billy. Jake squeezed between Leah and I and pulled me close to him. I let out a shaky breath at his warmth and tried to absorb as much of it as I could.

"A little over a week ago, two very special people to all of us were married." Sue spoke up, gesturing towards Jacob and I. I could feel a light blush come into my cheeks at the eyes on us, but it still caused a warm feeling inside knowing that they cared.

"That's right Sue." Billy said with a smile at her before turning his gaze to Jake and I. "Over the last week, they spent time together down in Phoenix, Arizona. Bella soaked up some of the rare sun she sees and got a little bit of color, making her less of a pale face." There was a bit of laughter around the circle as Billy said the last part. "We blessed them tremendously before they left and as ritual, we bless them before staying the first night in their home together. Let's sing before the blessing." Billy said before leading the group into a beautiful Quileute song.

It was melodic and flowed easily from all of them, including Jake. One day, I'd learn the language, but until then, I enjoyed the sound of their voices surrounding us. Sue stood and had a wooden bowl full of smoknig sweetgrass in her hand. She also had an eagle feather. She began to swing the eagle feather back and forward in front of the smoking grass from the bowl as she traveled around us; her feet moving in perfect sync with the tune. The smoke engulfed us, but it wasn't hard to breathe.

"Lord, we ask that you would bless Jacob and Bella in their new home. Provide them with plentiful amounts of your love, grace, and courage. Guide them in their marriage and lead the path for them to take together. Show them how to create a loving environment and teach them the ways of communication. Help them through troubled waters and guide them through the sea. They are two bodies, but one heart. Amen." Billy spoke loudly and as he finished, Sue also ended smoking us with the sweetgrass. There was a ritual to stay covered in the soot for at least one day as it sank into your skins; going all the way into your soul. It said it would purify you of anything dark lying within you and bring a clarity into your life.

The night continued on with happiness and joy. Many people came and blessed Jacob and I with their own words. I knew why it felt like a security blanket when I was home, here in Washington; it's because I had a family that loved me purely.

* * *

><p><strong>Living Together<strong>

**November 2008**

I had always heard that the first year of marriage is the hardest, but I had yet to find that true. Jake and I had been living together for a month now and it had been one of the most joyous times of my life. We had easily fallen into a routine that I had not found to be boring at all.

Jake got a job at the only mechanic shop in Forks. The owner is a member of the tribe and understands about the wolf duties, so he is pretty flexible with Jake whenever Sam needs him for something, which isn't often. He really likes going to work and getting more experience with cars and fixing them.

I had continued with my college classes; most of them being online. It was easy for me to do and work at the same time. My associate's degree would be done in May. I kept my job at Newton's. It was nice to see familiar faces and old friends from time to time in there. Mike had stayed local, working at his dad's store and going to the community college in town while Jessica went up to Seattle to go to the university. Angela and Ben were both at the university as well, but I'd still see them from time to time when they'd be back home visiting. Some days Jake and I would meet up for lunch at the diner; Charlie even tagged along a couple times.

I usually got off of work at 3 and headed home to make dinner or clean the house. Jake usually got home around 5. Emily was over most of the time while Sam had his duties to attend to and Jake was at work. Occasionally, Kim or Leah would come over and join us. Sue also popped in every now and then to say hi and make sure we weren't malnourished. Rachael would bring Sarah over and I completely adored my niece. She was the sweetest thing that I had ever seen and Rachael was such a good mom.

I enjoyed our routine and didn't mind when we strayed from it. I had to do my best and not be a pessimist, but some days it was hard. I couldn't help the thought of how could my life be so perfect right now? I was still living in a dream, but it was my reality. I knew that I was the luckiest girl alive to live the life that I did.

Jake's warm touch on my shoulders made me jump with surprise. I didn't realize how lost in my thoughts I was that I didn't even hear him come in. He put his lips to my ear and nibbled softly on my earlobe, sending chills running up and down my spine. He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled my back against his chest.

"Hello there, my beautiful wife." He murmured quietly into my ear before kissing his way along my jaw until he reached my neck. His hot breath left my body aching with need. He sucked at my pulse point and I could feel my knees wanting to buckle from his touch.

With a burst of momentum, I grabbed his hand and started leading him towards our room; clothes coming off in the process. He tackled me onto our bed, now only in his boxers while I was left in lacy boy shorts and my matching bra. He growled hungrily as his eyes looked me over slowly; leaving me with a shudder of lust racing through my body. His fingers explored across my skin, lighting me on fire in every spot he touched while his mouth suckled my nipple, my bra pushed aside. He teasingly slid his finger along the outside of my panties, causing me to arch into him. I couldn't stand the teasing and I needed to feel him. I whimpered at the sensation of him rubbing me through my panties which caused him to look up from my breast. I could see it in his eyes that he needed it just as badly. I pulled him back up to me and locked our lips together.

Our kisses were fervent; like we hadn't kissed in forever even though it had only been hours. He pressed into me, letting me feel his length and I moaned out; needing him inside of me. The remainder of our clothes was shred as he slipped into me quickly; no time for anymore foreplay.

I gasped at the sudden fulfillment and arched into him. Moans helplessly left my lips as Jake slammed into me; while I pressed against him, making him fill me even more. He explored my mouth with his sweet taste to muffle my cries of pleasure. He increased his pressure and speed and changed his angle so he was hitting just the right spot. It was all it took to send me over the edge; clutching his shoulders as I shook with the force of my orgasm, his name falling from my lips in endless ecstasy.

I knew Jake was getting close and he moved to pull out, but my sudden movement of wrapping my legs around his waist and holding him inside of me shocked him. He looked at me with half lidded eyes, checking for permission. I pulled myself up to him, slowly kissing up his neck until I reached his ear. "Come inside me." I moaned out quietly. I heard my name fall from his lips as he tensed and filled me with his seed. It was a sensation that I had never felt before… It felt so much more right to experience it that way; to have him truly inside of me; to share it together. Jake collapsed on top of me, both of our breathing ragged. "I love you." I breathed out heavily, running my fingers lightly through his hair. Jake smiled up at me from his spot on my chest.

"I love you more."

* * *

><p><strong>Us<strong>

**December 2008**

Jake and I had been living in our little home together for nearly two months. There wasn't a feeling in the world better than this. We took care of each other in every way that we could. We were adults, living on our own, and doing the things that made us happy. I finished up my fall semester of college and passed easily, while still completing my housewife duties.

Our bills were minimal, but it didn't stop either of us from working. The extra money we brought in helped to pay for food, gas, and random splurges we might have. It really came in handy during Christmas time. We had been saving up enough money to buy Charlie his dream boat for Christmas and I couldn't wait to see the look on his face. I was grateful that we were able to support ourselves and live happily.

The best part about all of it was that I got to fall asleep in my best friend's arms every single night. Jake wouldn't let go of me as we slept and the feeling I got when I woke up in his arms was indescribable. Seeing his smiling face in the morning was like seeing the sunlight flicker down from the cloudy skies. It was a happiness that I had never felt before and never wanted to lose. I never grew tired of waking up in his arms.

It was crazy to me how open we had become with each other. I no longer felt any sense of nervousness when he saw me completely bare. There were no inhibitions between us as we knew every part of each other. I had his touch memorized and it still gave me chills after all this time. My stomach still filled with butterflies when he'd look at me and my heart still went crazy. I knew every muscle, curve, scar, and mark on his body just like he had memorized mine.

We had shared a lot of intimacy since living with each other; like animals. Emily loved to tease me about it just like Jake heard about it from the pack. Before we were married, I wanted to take things slow, but now, there was no reason not to experience everything possible with each other. We no longer had boundaries and that was something we took full gratification in.

It was addicting and I knew I was hooked on him completely. He knew all the right movements, words, and looks to give to send me into a frenzy, but he never let me suffer through it. Jake knew how to please me entirely; in more ways than one. Then again, just having him in my life was more than pleasing. No matter how many times we shared it together; it still felt just as incredible as our first time. I knew I would never grow tired of him.

The excitement had been buzzing around the entire reservation as Christmas grew closer; just a few days away now. It was so hard to keep the gifts I had bought Jake hidden from him. He had such sharp eyes and living together only made it that much more difficult. Most of them were stored at Sam and Emily's to keep Jake from snooping around our house looking for them. He hated the suspense of not knowing what I got him, but I was more than positive he would love his gifts. They weren't extravagant, but that wasn't the type of man Jake was. It was crazy how well you started to know someone after so much time together.

Emily's gentle shaking of my shoulder brought me out of my thoughts. I smiled at her softly before returning to stirring the muffin mix. Christmas dinner was a big thing around here that everyone gathered for. Besides the big gathering, Emily always made cinnamon roll muffins to leave at everyone's house on Christmas morning. She was incredibly sweet and everyone here loved her for it. Emily sighed as she slid another pan into the oven. I looked over at her with concern.

"What's wrong? That's your, 'I hate everything' sigh." She laughed at my comment before sitting on the barstool across the counter from me. She rested her head in her hand before groaning.

"I want my period to leave before Christmas." Emily whined while clutching her stomach. I laughed at her before reaching into their medicine that they stored above the kitchen sink. I grabbed some all natural ibuprofen supplement and handed her some. She smiled gratefully as she swallowed them with a glass of water. "Shouldn't you have been miserable this entire week too?" She asked sarcastically after a moment.

Since Emily and I were so close, our periods had become in sync with one another. It always drove Sam and Jake crazy that they had hormonal women at the same time. It was odd though… I always started before Emily. With my pondering, I walked to the kitten calendar they had on the wall in their kitchen. I flipped to the month before and counted the days until this month.

"Stop being crazy and tell me what you're thinking!?" Emily exclaimed while coming to stand next to me. She looked at me with bewilderment as my eyes were wide at the thoughts running through my head. Emily shook my shoulder softly once more, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"I'm late..." I whispered. Emily's eyes went wide with shock and excitement. I could almost feel it radiating off of her.

"Are you sure you counted right?" She asked, looking back to the calendar. To please her, I counted once more, out loud, and she squealed. "We've got to be sure! C'mon! Let's go to the store!" She let out a cry of her excitement as she dragged me out of the house and towards Sam's truck. I could feel the nerves bubbling in my stomach as she sped towards the store. The questions racing through my mind seemed endless.

Emily pulled up to the gas station in La Push and ran inside. I was grateful that she was doing most of the work for me in this moment. I'm pretty sure I was too dazed by the idea to react properly. She was inside for a couple minutes before coming back out to the truck with a small brown bag. She sped back down the street towards her house and nearly threw me through the bathroom door once we were inside.

"Are you going to watch?" I asked with a thick layer of sarcasm. Emily rolled her eyes and stood outside of the door. I followed the instructions on the box and left the little piece of plastic on the sink as I left the bathroom. I could feel my pace quicken as the time took forever.

"Okay…" Emily murmured, grabbing my shoulders and halting my pacing. She looked into my eyes and I saw the friendship we had burning in them. "Take a deep breath and let's go look." She said quietly. I did as she instructed as we entered the bathroom, hand in hand. We both peered down at the little stick. A gasp left me as Emily's joyful shriek filled the small area.

I was pregnant.

I slowly sunk to the ground in the bathroom; hyperventilating. Thoughts full of fear began to race through my mind at hyper speed. I barely turned 21 a few months ago and now I'm expecting a baby? Was I ready to become a mother? What if it changes Jake and I completely like it did for my parents? I always blamed myself for their split; the stress was too much and it just drove them apart. Renee has reassured me a thousand times that it wasn't the case, but I couldn't help my underlying guilt.

"Bella, look at me." Emily murmured while sitting down in front of me. She took my face in her hands and forced me to look at her when I didn't respond. Her eyes were full of caring and love and it brought a reassuring feeling over me. "Take a deep breath so you can think clearly." I actually listened to her advice and I was able to breathe again.

"What if I'm a horrible mom?" I whispered with fear coming over my body once again. Emily sighed and stroked my hair softly.

"Bella, you are one of the best people I have ever met. You care so much about others and always put them before yourself. You're loving and so sweet to everyone that you meet, even strangers. This baby is going to have the best mother and father possible, no doubt in my mind." Emily's voice rang out with confidence. My best friend knew all of the right things to say to comfort me and I couldn't have been more grateful for her.

"Do you think Jake will be excited? We've never talked about having kids…" I trailed off while fiddling my thumbs together. It was difficult to bite back the tears that threatened to escape at the thought of Jake being upset by this.

"He's going to be ecstatic. You see him with Sarah. He loves her to death; now just imagine his own child? Sure it might seem a little scary since you're both young, but I have faith in both of you that you will be wonderful parents." Emily had a small smile on her face while she rubbed my shoulders gently. I reached out and hugged her tightly. God, what would I do without her?

"Thank you so much Emily. You made me feel better about all of it and now I'm actually a bit excited." I smiled at her and the smile on her face grew. She squealed happily which brought out a laugh from me. I loved this woman so much. She truly was special and one of the biggest parts of my life.

"I get to be a godmother!" Emily exclaimed enthusiastically before helping me to my feet. We embraced once more before she pulled away. "I have the best idea on how to tell Jake!" Our giggles and excitement quickly consumed us as Emily talked away about her idea. It was perfect.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, I didn't have it in me to not post this chapter once I finished writing it. I really want opinions on how I'm doing or what you think of the plot, so reviews would mean the world to me!<strong>

**Also; a giant thank you to my reviewer TwistedNeiviv! She has left tons of helpful advice in her reviews on how to make accurate Native American traditions instead of just oddball guesses. You're a lifesaver!**

**On another note; yay! It's baby time for Jake and Bella!**

**Let me warn you; things aren't going to go how you expect. I came up with a really intricate plot for this story, so be prepared!**

**Things are finally starting to pick up pace in my story! I really love this fanfiction and have a place in my heart for it. It's going to get really crazy and I'm so excited!**

**Thank you to Robin.D and barbiedoll123 for being faithful reviewers and reading my story! I really appreciate it! **

**Coming up next: **

**Chapter 12: Telling Jake & Family**

**Review and let me know what you think!**

**Love,**

**GVE**


	13. The Christmas Present

_**"Have a holly, jolly Christmas;  
>It's the best time of the year<br>I don't know if there'll be snow  
>but have a cup of cheer<br>Have a holly, jolly Christmas;  
>And when you walk down the street<br>Say Hello to friends you know  
>and everyone you meet"<strong>_

_**(Have A Holly Jolly Christmas -Burt Ives/Johnny Marks)**_

**Title: Surprise**

**Christmas 2008**

* * *

><p>The last couple of days had passed by at a deathly slow rate, but maybe that's because of how excited I was. Jake had caught onto my building anxiousness, but didn't remark on it too much. It didn't matter now that it was Christmas morning and my excitement could finally be released when Jake saw the presents I got for him. I had snuck them into the house as best I could last night after he had fallen asleep; it wasn't an easy task. His hearing is so keen that I had to tip toe throughout the entire time in order to not wake him.<p>

Our little Christmas tree was beautiful; adorned with a strand of lights, gold garland, and a few ornaments. I couldn't help my excitement at the thought of our tree growing as our family grew. We had spent Christmas together before, but this would be our first year as husband and wife so it made it more important. It made me more excited than I could ever remember being.

Christmas was always one of my favorite holidays. It wasn't because it was the day where you would get presents, but you got the chance to make the important people in your life happy with a gift and spending quality time together. I only spent a few Christmas' with Charlie, but they were really special to me. Those were the memories that I'd never be able to forget, no matter how old I got. I based my feelings for my family Christmas' off of the ones him and I had not the ones I spent with my mom.

Renee and I always had erratic Christmas'. Sometimes we wouldn't be home for Christmas, so we'd have a little Charlie Brown tree we'd set up in the hotel in whatever city we were in. She always did her best to get me something special and I always loved it, whether it was big or small. I especially loved her homemade gifts. She was the best at knitting and creating beautiful designs with fabrics. I still have the quilt she made me out of all the t-shirts we collected from our trips around the states. It had been a few months, but I really missed her. Charlie was so happy when Renee was around and it brought me joy that only they could. It wouldn't be long before she'd visit again; things are hitting a rocky point with Phil, but she doesn't let on about it. I couldn't wait to tell her about the baby, but I still had to figure out how to; hopefully before she'd call today.

I had already slipped out of bed on this chilly morning before Jake woke up. It wasn't too early in the morning; around 9 or so, but there was Christmas 'dinner' at 2 or 3. I wanted to make sure we got through our gifts and had time to talk about everything before spending time with our family and friends. We made everyone special bracelets and necklaces, besides Billy and Charlie; they'd get their own presents. I also got Emily something special too. Jake had given me an early gift of his handmade bracelet for me with a wooden carved wolf that he did himself; perfect.

I set up a boom-box to play classical Christmas tunes that Charlie and I used to belt out together during my childhood. I opened the door and grabbed the muffins before they froze and sat them on the counter. Emily really did play Santa Claus with these. I smiled to myself as I lit a cinnamon candle, making it really feel like the Christmas I remembered having.

My footsteps were as quiet as I could make them as I snuck back down the hallway and went towards our bedroom. Jake was snoring lightly, the covers thrown all around the bed. He was adorable in his sleep, but it wouldn't be like that for long. Quickly, I pounced onto the bed and started to jump up and down, startling Jake out of his peaceful slumber. He looked defensive till he realized it was only me jumping up and down. He groaned and threw himself back on the bed before laughing.

"It's Christmas!" I exclaimed like a child. Jake's eyes filled with adoration as he pulled me down to him and kissed my lips softly. I smiled widely at him before shaking his shoulders playfully. "Let's go see what Santa brought." He chuckled at my eagerness, but I truly wanted him to see his gifts. I had since the day I first bought any of them. Taking his warm hand in mine, I dragged him down the hallway and towards our living room where everything was set up. I hadn't noticed that there were presents I didn't put under the tree. Sneaky Jake!

"Ho ho ho?" Jake shrugged playfully when I looked between him and the tree. I rolled my eyes before giggling. How did he sneak those past me? "It smells delicious in here. Did Emily bring the muffins?" He didn't wait for an answer as he found the basket and began to chow down on one of the muffins we made yesterday.

"Let's open some gifts, Jake! I don't want to wait any longer!" I whined, grabbing his arm and pulling him over towards our tree. It was difficult and looked more like the squirrel from Ice Age trying to pull his acorn out of the ice than a successful movement to the other room. He laughed, nearly choking on his muffin, before plopping on the ground in front of the tree.

"You go first." He murmured handing me a box with a glittery silver wrapping paper and fluffy white bow. I opened my mouth to protest but Jake held a finger there, silencing me. Sighing with a jutted out lip of defeat, I began to unwrap the sparkly box. Once I got through the armor of tape and got the waterproof box open, it revealed to me a beautiful comfy sweater with beige and black patterns on it; the patterns I loved.

"Thank you. I love it." I said with a soft smile. Jake's smile looked relieved, like he was unsure if I'd like it or not. He reached for one of the gifts with his name on it, but I swatted his hand away. "I have to pick them out." He pouted at my objection, but smiled when I handed him a bag with a snowman on it. He quickly tore through my attempt at taping it closed and pulled out several pairs of jeans and cargo shorts. He went through them so quickly and needed more for his time working at the shop.

"Just what I needed." He murmured thankfully before handing me another shimmering box. "You know, Emily helped me wrap these. It's harder than it looks! I just did the taping." Jake laughed deeply in his chest and it made me laugh along with him. This box was easier to open and I smiled at what I saw. It was a new jacket that looked completely warm and fuzzy. It was a purple color with a black fur around the hood. Something that I needed since I was always getting cold.

I handed Jake another one of his gifts. He only had two more to go until he got to the big one. He grinned at the tiny wolves in Santa hat's on the wrapping paper before opening the larger box. He laughed heartily at the bath kit I got him. It had everything you could possibly think of that a man might want in the shower to clean up; so the woman said at the mall.

"Are you trying to tell me I stink?" Jake teased which brought a smile onto my face.

"It's the complete hygiene kit for men. I thought you'd like it." I murmured, uneasy that he didn't.

"I do." He said with a smile before handing me another one of my gifts. It looked like there were only two more gifts left for me as well. I opened the small box to find a jewelry box inside. I gave Jake an apprehensive look before opening the clasping box. Inside was a beautiful silver necklace that had a heart on the end of it. "Turn it over." He whispered. I flipped the heart over and felt the tears well up in my eyes as I read what it said. 'My heart belongs to you'. I reached over the mound of gift wrap to hug Jake snugly. He laughed and held me to him for a moment with his hand in my hair before we returned to our spots; smiles plastered on our faces.

"It's beautiful." I mused, looking at the fine piece of jewelry; not wanting to think about how much money he spent on it. It was incredibly gorgeous and it made me question what I had done to deserve a man like Jacob. I handed Jake another bag and he took it eagerly. His eyes went wide as he pulled out the jersey.

"No way…" His gasp was full of excitement as he looked it over. "A signed Mariner's jersey?" He asked incredulously. I grinned and nodded happily, thrilled that he loved it. He looked it over once more before his famous Jake grin came onto his face. "Have I told you that you're the best?" Jake said with loving eyes that melted my heart.

"You could stand to do it a little more." I teased playfully as he examined his jersey still. He finally set it down and handed me my last gift.

I opened the bag that was decorated in kittens with scarves and candy canes carefully and reached inside. There was a smooth velvet book inside. The cover read 'The Story of Us'. Tears started to brim in my eyes, threatening to spill over as I looked through the book. It told our love story with pictures of us and cute little graphics. It covered everything from the day on Charlie's couch when Jake said he imprinted, our one and two year anniversaries, to our wedding. The page after the one of our wedding said 'Till Forever'. My smile was huge as I pulled Jake close to me. We embraced tightly and I didn't want to let go of him. He was the most amazing man in my life; no doubt about it.

"Looks like that's all then." Jake said with a smile after we let go of each other. He started to clean up the wrapping paper, but I grabbed his arm, making him look at me. I shook my head and a puzzled look came over his face as he sat back down. My heart was pounding in my chest as I reached behind me and pulled out the small box adorned with a tiny bow.

"I have one last gift for you." I whispered, my voice nearly cracking with my nerves. I thought I was going to pass out from all of my anxiety. I pushed Jake the box and he took it, shaking it by his ear. When nothing rattled, he looked even more puzzled.

"Let me guess…it's a watch?" He asked playfully. I groaned and he laughed once more.

"Just open it." I grumbled, trying to conceal my increasing nerves from turning into a full fledge panic attack. Jake smiled softly at me, his eyes apologetic as he began to open the box; antagonizing slow pace. My heart beat was thudding in my ears like I was stuck inside of a ticking clock. My throat was tight and my hands were clammy. It felt like my stomach lurched to my feet and my breath was struggling to come out normally. Jake gave me a crazy look before focusing his attention back on the little box.

Jake finally opened the damned box and pulled out the little bit of tissue paper inside, revealing the gift. He pulled the pregnancy test out of the box and examined it slowly; his eyes wide and mouth open slightly. I couldn't decipher the emotions in his molten brown eyes. I looked to him nervously, a blush coming onto my cheeks.

"Does this mean what I think it does…?" He asked tenderly, glancing up at me before looking down at the small plastic test in his large hands.

"I'm pregnant." My voice was barely audible and shaky. My eyes were focusing on Jake intently, trying to figure out what he was thinking. All of a sudden he looked up at me and tears were spilling from his eyes, rolling down his cheeks, and right past the massive beam on his face. Swiftly, Jake pushed through the pile of wrapping paper and pulled me into his arms, holding me closely. Tears began to leave me with sobs of joy. Jake pulled back to look at me; love burning deeply in his eyes.

"I'm going to be a Daddy!" Jake cried out in a strangled voice. I nodded with a smile on my face, wiping the tears from his eyes. "Oh my God… no way! I can't believe it. Thank you." He mumbled out while burying his face in my neck as he crushed me tightly to him again. My tears hit his bare shoulders as we cried together in our newfound happiness.

"Are you excited?" I asked quietly after a few minutes. Jake pulled his head up and gave me a smile that made my heart turn into a puddle of emotions. He grabbed my chin and pulled me to kiss him deeply.

"I'm scared as hell, but I know we can do this together. We're gonna have a baby." The excitement in his voice reassured me on any of my doubts as I smiled at him. "This is the best Christmas present you ever could have given me." Jake kissed the top of my head gently.

"Only Emily knows. We get to tell Charlie and Billy and I kind of wanted to surprise them, along with the rest of the pack; but separately." I suggested my idea to Jake. He nodded enthusiastically.

"I think that's a great idea. So, how are we going to do it?" We began to scheme ideas before the dinner.

* * *

><p><strong>Announcements<strong>

We would be going over to Billy's before the dinner with everyone else. Jake and I used our creative skills to scheme a last minute plan to tell them; it was going to be incredible. Neither of us figured they'd be upset; I mean, we're married after all. It was hard not to tell Renee over the phone when she called to wish us a Merry Christmas, but we had asked her to fly out for New Year's Eve; Renee was going to flip. I couldn't wait to the reactions that everyone else would have at our plan for the dinner.

The fresh snow on the ground made it even more freezing outside. Jake had his arm wrapped around me as we made the short walk over to Billy's house; gifts in hand. There was no sense in knocking so we let ourselves in and found Charlie and Billy sitting in front of Billy's small Christmas tree, drinking a couple of beers. There were a couple gifts under the tree addressed to Jake and I.

"Hey stranger." Charlie joked as we embraced tightly. I breathed in his scent that he always had before we parted. I greeted Billy with the same warmth that I did with Charlie.

"Merry Christmas." Jake said, gesturing towards the bags in his hand. Billy let out a gruff laugh.

"You didn't have to get us anything." He protested, but Jake shook his head to stop him.

"We wanted to." I interjected happily. Charlie and Billy both let out a sigh of defeat.

"You two open your gifts first." Charlie grabbed a box from underneath the tree and handed it to Jake, while handing the bag from underneath the tree to me. I smiled at him gratefully.

"They're from both of us." Billy grinned as we started to open the presents. Inside of the bag there was a Traditional Native American cookbook and there was a picture frame that had beautiful oak running around the edges; a picture of Jake and I at our wedding in it. I gave a thankful smile to my fathers'. Jake opened the heavier box to reveal a complete kitchen set; pots, pans, utensils, and everything else. My eyes went wide at the box before I jumped up to hug them once more. These crazy, money spending old men!

"Thank you both. They're perfect." I murmured after taking my seat once more. Jake set our gifts to the side and handed Charlie an envelope. "It's for both of you."

Charlie quickly opened the envelope with Billy looking over his shoulder. He gasped as he read over the paper; the boat license. Billy's eyes went wide as he read it over and they both turned to look at Jake and I with incredulous but happy expressions.

"It's around back." Jake grinned before rolling his Dad's wheelchair outside with Charlie following closely. He would have run Billy over if Jake wasn't moving fast enough. I tagged along right behind them. We went back into the cold and around the side of the house to where Jacob's old garage was. Jake pulled open the doors and both men were in awe. It was a really nice red fishing boat that was compatible with Billy's chair. Jake and I agreed to only get each other a few presents so we could do this for our fathers. It didn't take long before they were right next to it; touching it and admiring every detail.

"Wow…this is incredible. I don't know what to say…thank you!" Charlie blurted out as he came to hug both Jacob and I. I grinned with joy; it made me feel incredibly happy to see my Dad smile and get excited over something I was able to get for him. Billy expressed the same amount of gratitude as he hugged both of us tightly, whispering thank yous' into our ears. They both started towards the boat again, but Jake clearing his throat stopped them in their tracks.

"We have another surprise for you." Jake announced with underlying giddiness. I smiled softly at him.

"What can be more surprising than a boat?" Billy asked with a laugh, but also concern that we were spending all our money on them. Jake held up the bags he brought outside with him before we walked into the garage; to spare me from freezing to death.

"We wanted to give you something bigger than a boat." I murmured excitedly; anxious for their reactions. I could hardly stand the wait and wanted to blurt it out, but I controlled my urges.

"An airplane?" Charlie asked with a hint of sarcasm. I playfully shoved him before Jake handed them their bags.

"Go ahead and find out." Jake was barely able to contain himself as well. He rolled back and forth on his heels while Billy and Charlie both tore through the tissue paper only to find two bundles of wrapping paper.

"Are you pulling our legs about something?" Billy questioned with a skeptical manner as he started working on the next part of the unwrapping. He and Charlie finished unwrapping at the same time and held out two shirts in front of their faces to read the front.

"What does it say?" I inquired with a playful cluelessness. Charlie glanced up at me before returning his eyes to the shirt.

"Mine says 'World's Best Grandpa'." He murmured, the confusion thick in his voice. Billy looked over at him and then as us.

"Mine says 'World's Coolest Grandpa'" Billy's voice was slow as he said it out loud to himself. Abruptly, Charlie looked directly at me and I smiled as if saying yes. His hand covered his mouth as tears began to form in his eyes. Billy caught on quickly and he buried his head in his hands as his sobs left him. I couldn't control my tears from leaving my eyes as I ran to hug my fathers. Charlie embraced me tightly; tears still streaming down his face, while Jacob and Billy hugged. We switched and I squeezed Billy close; excited laughter coming from all around.

"You're gonna be grandpas'!" Jake cheered excitedly once we parted from them. Both men were complete emotion wrecks of happiness.

"You guys did it the right way, unlike my daughter. You were married first. When are you due?" Billy asked happily, his voice hoarse from crying. The smiles could not be swept off of their faces even if someone forcefully tried.

"I'm not sure yet. We still have to see the doctor." I answered truthfully. I wasn't sure what all went into pregnancy, but as long as Jake and I did it together, everything would be fine. Charlie admired his shirt once more before grinning wildly at me.

"Wait till you tell your mom." Charlie laughed lightly while holding onto his shirt in a tight grip. Jake laughed with him.

"She'll be here for New Year's Eve. Nobody else knows, we're planning on announcing it at the dinner." He smiled sheepishly and a light blush came over Charlie's cheeks. Billy laughed at his friend before he admired his own shirt again.

"Merry Christmas, Dad." I smiled at both who were too thrilled to form words. It was an incredible to relief to know that they were happy and excited and not upset.

* * *

><p><strong>Christmas Dinner<strong>

Billy and Charlie were sworn to secrecy about our pregnancy until we could tell everyone else. In the spot where we would have all of our events, there were big tents surrounding it; providing warmth for those who aren't wolves. I grinned happily, knowing how well this dinner always goes, but it was even more exciting since I was married to Jake now instead of just being a girlfriend.

We entered inside of the tents quickly so I could get out of the bitter cold. There were a bunch of tables set up just like they were for all our other events. Nearly everyone was there. People stood around wishing each other a Merry Christmas and having joyful conversations. I loved seeing the smiles light up everyone's faces and hearing their laughter. This time of year brought out the best in everyone and made it all that more special. There was a long table set up with tons of food that everyone contributed. Billy rolled over to the front of the tent and got situated before he began to talk.

"Thank you God for blessing us with another year of prosperity and happiness. Thank you for allowing our families to gather here today in honor of the birth of Jesus. We are thankful for a year that has been healthy, educational, and full of memories. Thank you for our beautiful families and the love you provide for all of us. We ask that you bless in the next year as changes in our lives may come. Amen." Billy's prayers never ceased to give me chills. He was so passionate about his people, his faith, and the love he had for everyone. His voice was always powerful and it always felt like he was speaking directly to me anytime he prayed.

Slowly, people began to work their way over towards the food and make themselves a plate of deliciousness. There was turkey, ham, bread, mashed potatoes, and a bunch of different items. I smiled softly at Jake while he went to get us food while I headed to Emily. She was sitting at a large table meant for the pack and their imprints; it was a tradition they had started when more wolves imprinted. Jared, Kim, and Seth were sitting with her and Sam already.

"Hey you." I murmured as I came up behind her, startling her a little bit. She had a grin on her face when she turned around to face me. I hugged my best friend tightly before handing her the bag in my hand.

"You didn't!" She gasped, looking surprised at the offering. I nodded with a smirk. Hopefully, she wouldn't kill me.

"Open it." I murmured anxiously. Emily gave me a stern look; we had agreed to no presents this year, but I couldn't resist. She opened the bag quickly and pulled out a photo frame that had 'Best Friends' scrawled onto the front in a pretty cursive font. There was a picture of us smiling on a rare sunny day in Washington. Underneath the picture it said 'Emily and Bella'. She smiled up at me with tears brimming in her eyes.

"It's beautiful." She mused before hugging me tightly once more. Sam watched her admiringly as we embraced and I wiped her tears away. "No more breaking the agreements!" She chided with a laugh.

"I couldn't resist!" I said in my defense. Emily stuck her tongue out at me playfully before sitting back down at her chair. I took a seat next to her as Jake came back with two plates of food. His looked like it was meant for the both of us.

"Did you get enough food?" Emily asked teasingly. Jake rolled his eyes and gestured to Sam, Jared, and Seth's plates which were quite full as well.

"When the food is this good, you can't pass up taking extras." Jake said with a laugh before starting in on his massive plate of food. He had a point; the food was delicious. There was never a shortage of food to go around either.

Rachael, Paul, and Sarah came over to our table to join us. I smiled at the adorable 8 month old little girl. She looked like the spitting image of Paul with Rachael's beauty. Jake grinned too after swallowing his food.

"Who wants to see their favorite uncle?" He asked in a high pitched tone to Sarah. She giggled and reached her arms out for Jake. Paul passed his daughter to Jake with a laugh. Sarah loved Jake more than any of the pack members. Jake bounced Sarah up and down on his lap while her giggles amused all of us. I reached out to grab one of her hands and she wrapped her tiny fingers around one of mine. Jake and I exchanged a smile and soft look as if thinking the same thing; soon we'd have our own baby to share this with.

"You two are more weird and gushy than normal today." Rachael remarked, taking Sarah back into her arms. I couldn't stop the sly grin from coming onto my face. Jake sent her a wink and she just rolled her eyes.

"What if they poisoned the apple pie they brought!?" Jared scoffed with a mock horror.

"Are we sure the pale face can cook?" Sam teased lightly. I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Bella's helped me cook for all our get-togethers. I wouldn't judge her." Emily spoke up in my defense. We shared a smile before Seth interjected.

"I don't think it's poisoned." He grinned as he finished his last bite of the apple pie he had. Laughter was shared around the table.

The dinner continued on happily; Christmas music was playing, people were dancing, kids were playing games, and there was tons of laughter and smiles. Jake rubbed my arm softly and I looked up at him. The question was burning in his eyes along with his excitement. I nodded slowly, a nervous smile coming onto my face. He flashed me his famous grin before standing up.

"Hey everyone!" He called out into the tent, making the music quiet down and silence start to overcome the area.

"Hi Jacob!" Claire called out from Quil's side. The five year old waved her hand happily to Jake, who waved back. Even though she was only 2 when Quil imprinted, he loved her deeply. Not in the creepy way, but in the way of he would do anything to make her happy. One day when she was old enough, Quil would be able to tell her about the imprinting and what it meant.

"Bella and I were married a couple months ago and since this is our first Christmas spent together as husband and wife, we'd like to take a picture to remember it with all of you special people! So please, start gathering around and I'll set up the camera!" Jake cheered joyfully as he started to set the camera up on the stand, far enough away to get everyone in the shot. He waited till everyone was grouped together before hitting the timer and running to stand next to me. "It's going to take three pictures, so don't leave after the first!" He announced while smiling tenderly at me.

"Everyone say Merry Christmas!" Emily called out and received several replies as the first picture was taken.

"Everyone say Seth stinks!" Leah laughed while people responded to her request. The timer on the camera started to beep again as it counted down towards the next picture. It felt like my heart was beating incredibly fast as we were about to make our announcement.

"Everyone say Bella's pregnant." Jake exclaimed excitedly. People started to say it, but slowly realized what it was that Jake had actually said. Murmurs of excitement and confusion filled the area as the camera flashed, capturing the incredible moment.

"Are you serious?!" Sue cried happily, leaning forward from her spot to look over at Jake and I. More people followed her gaze with curious expressions. We both nodded cheerily and she cried out again with her own delight.

Soon, everyone was congratulating both Jake and I, pulling us separate ways to talk. Jake was surrounded by the pack as they hooted and chanted loudly, clapping Jake on the back or hugging him in a brotherly manner. I was taken by most of the girls in the tribe who were chatting animatedly and hugging me tightly. Congratulations and talks of baby were coming from everyone as we stood there in that blissful moment.

"I think it'll be a girl." Emily mused with giddiness. I laughed and shook my head. No way.

"I think he is going to be a boy." I murmured while she laughed.

"We'll see who's right." Her voice was playfully challenging. It continued like that for a while; there were so many people to hug and talk to about it that it felt it would never end, but I loved seeing how excited and happy everyone was.

"I'm so happy for you!" Leah said excitedly as we hugged. I could feel the amount of love and happiness that everyone had for us in that moment and it made me feel completely warm inside. Any doubts that I had or nervous feelings went away as I realized how truly accepted I was here. It was where I belonged; where I had always belonged. These people were the ones I could count on in a moment of need, celebrate with during happy times, and connect with emotionally at any moment. There were such loving and amazing people around me that it made me gush with emotions. We were truly a family and I couldn't wait to bring our new addition into it.

* * *

><p><strong>This chapter put me in the mood for Christmas! It also made me want to have a baby to tell everyone in an awesome way, but that's not going to happen for a long time! No boyfriend no problem, right? Plus, I have college to focus on soon and there will be no time for shenanigans! <strong>

**Anyways, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter! It was a pleasure to write it and I can't wait to see what you all think!**

**Coming up next:**

**Chapter 13: Getting Ready for Baby**

**Please review and let me know what you thought!**

**Love,**

**GVE**


	14. Journies

_**"From your head down to your toes  
>you're not much, goodness knows.<br>But you're so precious to me,  
>sweet as can be,<br>baby of mine.  
>Baby of mine"<strong>_

_**(Baby Mine -Alison Krauss)**_

**Title: Pregnancy Adventures**

**New Year's Eve 2008**

* * *

><p>When I was growing up, I wasn't one of those girls who told their mom every single thing that happened in their life, but I did share a decent amount with Renee. She was my best friend and I loved telling her things, but I knew when enough was enough. It was dumbfounding to me that it was nearly impossible to not blurt out our secret the moment we saw her at the airport, but Jake and I had the perfect surprise. I knew it was going to be amazing and my nerves were going wild with my anxiousness.<p>

"I'm so happy to be back here." Renee mused from the backseat of the Rabbit. I looked back at her with a smile.

"How are things with you and Phil?" I asked casually, trying to not be obvious about the bruise I saw on her shoulder that she tried terribly to cover with her sweater. I could see the pain flash in her eyes before she regained her composure.

"We're sorting through some stuff; a bump in the road." She hummed lightly, avoiding the topic as usual. I sighed softly and extended my hand to her which she grasped lightly.

"You don't have to tell me now, but I want you to know that I'm here to listen if you want to talk about it. If he's hurting you, please don't go back there." My voice was full of a concern that I had never known before. It was motherly like; maybe things were already kicking in? I always looked out for Renee and that wasn't going to change anytime soon. Renee squeezed my hand gently and shook her head.

"You've always taken care of me. I can handle this, trust me Bella." Renee murmured quietly before looking out the window again. I knew I wasn't going to get very far on the subject; I never did, but it was worth the try. I couldn't stand the idea of Phil hurting my mom in any way, but I could only hope she'd come to her senses soon enough.

"Billy and Charlie are excited to see you." Jake said after a moment of tense silence. He gave me a small smile that I saw from the corner of my eye. I could see Renee smile from the rear view mirror.

"Those old boys get excited over anything nowadays." Her laugh was light and it made me happy to hear. It was the vibrant Renee laugh that she had been missing recently.

"They are so excited that they planned for a dinner at our house, without informing us." I chimed in with my own laughter. It was partially true, but she couldn't find out all the details yet.

"Hopefully they aren't the ones cooking." Renee laughed a bit louder which Jake and I joined in on. She did have a point.

"Remember the time Charlie put a metal can of beans in the microwave?" I murmured, laughing at the memory. He had tried to surprise us with dinner when Renee was down for fall break a few years ago. Sheesh, what a long time ago it really was; senior year in high school. Renee covered her mouth to stifle a snicker.

"That was a disaster. I felt like I was cleaning the entire time I was there." She muttered quietly with humor in her voice. It was truly a disaster to clean that mess up. The rest of the short ride to our home was quiet; filled with a good silence instead of a tense one like when the subject of Phil was brought up. Who know talking about Charlie's adventures in cooking could relieve tension? I was thankful that it did; creating a pleasant environment for all of us.

"Luckily, it'll be a light dinner since there is a party down at the beach tonight to bring in the New Year." Jake grinned happily as he grabbed Renee's bag from the trunk of the car. We quickly flitted our way through the gate and into the house to get out of the bitter cold. The snow was piled up to at least 2 feet now and there was a biting breeze sending little flurries of snow around in the air. Jake had cleared off the pathway earlier this morning and it made our dash into the house easier. A shiver ran throughout my body, but the warmth of the house enveloped me in a hug. Renee shook the snow off of her sweater and smiled lightly at me; her cheeks and nose pink from the cold.

"Damn snow…" She muttered with a shake of her head. I laughed along with her. Neither of us had been big on snow or the cold, but it's funny how things work out. I wouldn't trade anything about the life I have now; not even for 365 days of sunshine.

Charlie and Billy were sitting in the living room watching ESPN on the 32 inch TV Jake and I had gotten recently. We rarely watched TV, but it was good for movie nights. Both men had large smiles as they came closer to the foyer to greet us. Renee hugged Billy first, greeting him warmly and with her exuberant excitement.

"It's good to see you Renee." Billy smiled, showing his laugh lines clearly. She smiled at him before hugging Charlie tightly. A light blush came to his cheeks as he wrapped his arms around her. I smiled softly to myself at the sight and still had the hope that they could rekindle, especially with this bump in the road Renee had mentioned.

"Bella told me you two planned dinner here without their knowledge?" Renee's voice was playfully accusing as she had a stern hand on Charlie's shoulder. Charlie scratched the back of his head sheepishly while Billy let out a chuckle.

"We should probably check on it." Charlie said and motioned us towards the kitchen. My nerves started to build in my stomach again at the approaching show. On our table sat simple grilled cheese sandwiches. Jake let out a hearty laugh when he looked at the table and then back to the two men who wore proud smiles.

"At least you didn't burn their house down." Renee laughed as we all made our way over to the table. Jake rubbed my arm softly and I smiled over at him; it was time. Just as we were all taking a seat around the table, I looked over to the oven. The light was on and I smiled to myself.

"Dad, I think you left something in the oven." I murmured. He looked over at the oven and back at me and shrugged his shoulders. "Aren't you going to get it? It could burn." I said in a voice that sounded more curious than irritated.

"You worry too much, Bells." Charlie laughed and took a bite of his grilled cheese. Renee rolled her eyes and fell right into the trap by getting up to go over to the oven. She pulled open the door, checked to see if it was hot, and reached inside to pull out what was left inside of it.

"What is it?" Jake asked with a curious tone. Renee turned around to face us with her brows pulled together in confusion. In her hand she held a hamburger bun that she looked at strangely.

"It's a bun." She laughed like her normal erratic self, probably thinking that I had forgotten in there or something. "That could have been in there forever." Renee said before closing the oven door.

"Where did you find it?" I asked, trying to control my mixture of excitement and nerves. Renee gave me a puzzled expression once more.

"You saw me pull it out of the oven." She stated and looked at me like I was crazy.

"So, you found a bun in the oven?" Jake's voice was playful as the words rolled off of his tongue. Renee nodded before she froze, catching onto the meaning behind what Jake said. I stood and approached Renee slowly as she remained in a frozen stance, brows pulled together and tears brimming in her eyes.

"Mom…" I murmured, reaching my hand to her. She snapped her head up suddenly and let out an excited shriek which nearly caused me to jump out of my own skin. She began to scream with her excitement as she pulled me into a tight hug. I couldn't hold back my own tears as we embraced; creating a memory that I would never forget.

"I'm going to be a Grandma." She choked out through her sobs of happiness. I nodded and she pulled me in for another hug. It felt like a weight was lifted off of my shoulders to know that she was thrilled and not upset at the news. I could finally breathe again. I smiled into her shoulder as we continued to hug. We could have stayed in that moment forever; bliss surrounding us.

"That makes us old." Charlie laughed from his seat at the table. Renee playfully stuck her tongue out at him.

"You're the old one here." She teased happily before wiping the tears from her eyes. She smiled at Jake before going to give him a tight embrace. He lifted her off of the ground and swung her around in the small area.

"Congrats Grandma!" Jake shouted with his own excitement before putting Renee back on the ground. I sighed with content as I took in the sight of my family. It couldn't get better than this.

It wasn't long before we were making our way down to the beach for real food and the celebration. Jake kept his arm wrapped tightly around me, murmuring something about keeping our little peanut warm. I had dressed nearly to the extreme in warm clothes, but I wanted to enjoy the party without losing my toes or fingers in the process.

"You are all insane." Renee sniggered as she pulled her jacket tighter around her body. Jake let out his robust laugh.

"That's only the beginning of it." He grinned as we continued our way towards the beach. It would have been convenient to drive, but it was tradition to walk; see your neighbors, converse with one another, and socialize with your environment. I didn't mind it too much, but my body had been accustomed to it more than Renee's.

We reached the beach and it looked like a scene out of a movie. It felt like I was staring at something made by video effects because of how beautiful the view in front of me was. Snow replaced the sand, but the waves still crashed onto the surface. The moon was bright and illuminated the snow, making it look like it was glowing. The stars filled the sky completely tonight without a cloud to be seen; something very rare in Washington. The people I have come to know as my family sat around a huge fire on the fallen logs. Some of the kids were playing in the snow and making forts or snowmen. There was a long table set up with food in heated pans and there were people standing around eating and talking. Seth was completely wound up with excitement while he waited by the table with the fireworks. Billy, Charlie, and Renee headed over towards Sue and some of the other members of the tribe while Jake and I joined the Pack around the fire.

Jake headed towards the group of his brothers that were gathered on the opposite side of the fire from the girls. He kissed my cheek softly before making his way over to them. I smiled to myself before turning towards the girls. Emily greeted me with a warm smile and tight hug. The fire lit up her face, but even in the dark, she was beautiful. I have even more of a bias since she is my best friend. "How did your mom take it?" She asked curiously as we took a seat on the large wooden log. She pulled a blanket around us and I smiled gratefully.

"She freaked out; in a good way." My smile was large, still reveling about how well Renee took it. I'm not sure why I expected her to be upset, but a part of me had feared that. I was beyond relieved that she was excited and it increased my excitement.

"I knew she'd be excited." Emily said with a genuine tone. Emily was usually right; I should learn to believe her more often. "You and Jake are really beating Sam and I." She said with light laughter.

"The wedding is only 9 months away." I teased, pushing her lightly. Emily giggled with her enthusiasm. I couldn't wait to see her become Mrs. Uley.

"We're going to have to make sure your maid of honor dress is big enough!" Emily grinned with mischief. We both assumed that I'd carry a big baby since Jake is a wolf. I was not looking forward to becoming the size of a meteor. I groaned and Emily patted my knee in comfort while chuckling softly to herself.

"You get to look forward to that too. I give you 2 months of being married before you get pregnant." My tone was playful as I mocked Emily. She faked a shocked expression before showing her famous up curved smile.

"You're on."

It wasn't long before Jake and the others returned to the fire. I hadn't noticed the people gathering around as I was lost in conversation with Emily. Almost everyone was gathered by the fire, minus Seth and Embry who were getting ready to light the fireworks when it was midnight, which was only a couple minutes away.

"My beautiful wife…" Jake murmured softly with a smile as he sat next to me. I leaned into him, resting my head on his chest as his warm arms wrapped around me. I could feel the heat radiating from his body and into mine; it brought me such a comforting feeling. Jake tilted my head to look up at him and immediately, I was lost in his molten brown eyes. I could see how incredible of a person Jake is just by looking into his eyes; they shown with love and sincerity.

"I love you." I whispered quietly. His hand cupped my cheek and I leaned into it. The fireworks began to go off and chorus' of 'Happy New Year's' were coming from all around. The fireworks exploded in the air in several different colors, reflecting in Jake's eyes. He pulled my face to his and kissed me deeply; sending a different fire throughout my body. Our kiss was soft and special as we treasured this moment. We pulled apart and he placed his forehead on mine; our breathing ragged as we intertwined our fingers; like two puzzle pieces locking together.

"I love you more." He rested his hand on my still flat belly as we welcomed in the New Year with our family.

* * *

><p><strong>Pregnancy Fun<strong>

**February 2009 (2 Months)**

Being pregnant was something entirely new to me. It was hard to explain things at times, but it was the best and worst feelings that I had ever felt. Jake and I had gone to my OBGYN in January and she said I was due on September 28th, 2009. She gave me a list of books and different articles I could read to educate myself as a new mother. So far, I've read every single of the things she recommended and then some of my own that I checked out from the library. I wanted to learn as much as I possibly could; especially about what was happening inside of me each new week that passed. Right now at two months pregnant, our little baby is the size of a tadpole and little buds are appearing that grow into arms and legs. I'm in complete amazement at every new fact that I learn about the life growing inside of me.

On the other hand, I've had a really bad spout with morning sickness. I knew it was going to happen, but nothing could have prepared me for it. Mine is morning, midday, afternoon, evening, night, and late night sickness. My Ob said it should calm down by the third month, but the moodiness could last a little longer. It was completely miserable to go through and left me more tired than ever. It was harder than ever to work and I even took a couple days off when it got really bad. Jake felt helpless since there was hardly anything he could do to help me, but just being there made all the difference. His support nearly carried the both of us through this. We were coming to the end of our 7th week and nearing the end of February.

I sighed from my position in Jake's arms and adjusted slowly. I whimpered from my sore breast rubbing against Jake's side and pulled back a bit. He sat up and looked at me, concern burning in his brown eyes. His warm hand rubbed soft circles into my back.

"What's bothering you baby?" Jake whispered quietly. What kind of question is that? I wanted to slap my hand to my forehead, but I resisted the urge. My irritation flared up and I settled for rolling my eyes.

"What isn't bothering me?" I snapped and turned so my back was facing him. Jake sighed and lay back on the bed in his original position.

"Just trying to help." He muttered and I felt a twinge in my heart. I hated hurting him, but there was hardly anything I could do to stop it. I knew it was frustrating for him with my sudden changes in mood and I wished desperately to control it, but it was out of my grasp. The hot tears spilled from my eyes and landed on my cheeks as I tried desperately to sort out my emotions, but they were haywire.

"I'm sorry. I know I'm being a bitch and I don't want to be." I sobbed and turned to bury my face in Jake's chest. He rubbed my back once again and brushed my hair out of my face. I looked up at him slowly to see his eyes full of love and concern. His large but gentle hand stroked my cheek while his thumb glided under my eye to brush away my tears.

"You're not a bitch, Bella. I'd never think that of you. We'll get through this, okay? I love you sweetheart." He murmured before placing a soft kiss on my forehead. I wanted to protest, but sighed in defeat and curled into his side.

* * *

><p><strong>March 2009 (3 Months)<strong>

Jake excitedly pulled me along side of him as we made our way inside of the doctor's office. It was our 3rd month checkup and I was thrilled to see our little baby. I was hitting the 10th week mark halfway through March. I still suffered from mood swings, nausea, tiredness, heartburn, and indigestion, but hopefully those would be over soon for everyone's sake. I had snapped at Emily, Charlie, Sam, and most of all Jake. That doesn't include random people at work and unfortunate strangers at the store, gas station, or the diner. I couldn't wait to get control over my feelings again and stop hurting the ones that I love.

We entered the office quickly to get out of the crisp air. March was one of my favorite months since it was the month that Jake and I actually started our relationship, but the cold still irritated me. It was crazy to me to think that this all started three years ago. I was still pained by the absence of the Cullen's which was going on four years. It would never be as if they didn't exist, but I did my best to not think of them too much, especially while pregnant. I didn't want to add fuel to my emotional fire that was already ablaze.

The cozy office was fairly empty for a Tuesday afternoon with only one other couple in the lobby. Jake took a seat in one of the brown patterned chairs as I signed in at the front desk. The receptionist smiled at me before I went to sit by Jake. He interlocked our fingers and I sent a soft smile his way before resting my head on his broad shoulder. The warmth from his body comforted me like a favorite blanket and I never wanted to lose touch with him.

"You two look like you're meant for each other." A raspy, but soft voice called out. I looked up and found it was the other pregnant woman in the room speaking. She looked like she was at least 7 months and ready to pop already. The man with her had a smile as he rubbed her bulging belly. I could say the same about the two of them.

"Thank you." I responded with a smile to her. She nodded and focused back on the magazine she was reading before. It didn't take long before we were called back and set up in a room. I felt my excitement increase when I saw the ultrasound machine in the corner. I sat on the examination table and couldn't control the bouncing of my hands in my lap. Jake laughed and shook his head at me.

"I can't wait to see our baby either." He murmured just before my doctor came in. Dr. Jackson was a woman in her mid-forties with slightly graying blonde hair and pale blue eyes. She was one of the best OBGYN's in Forks and she was Renee's Ob too. I found it to be amusing that we were sharing the same doctor with years between the actual events.

"Hello Bella, Jacob. It's good to see you two again." Dr. Jackson said in her smooth voice. It was a really soothing sound when she was telling me about the baby. "How are you feeling?"

"I've been tired a lot recently. I don't have the morning sickness so much anymore, but I still get some indigestion and heartburn. I've been pretty moody and a little sore." I listed off the main things that bugged me. She nodded as she jotted some things down on her clipboard.

"Let's get your weight and vitals." She murmured before checking my blood pressure and heartbeat. She weighed me and I was shocked to see a four pound increase from the last time we were here three and a half weeks ago.

"Is that normal?" My tone was full of worry. Gaining extra weight was something I dreaded. Dr. Jackson laughed and nodded her head.

"I suspect you'll be carrying a large baby, seeing the size of the daddy. You haven't been overeating, so it's natural weight brought on by the hormones increasing the nutrition in things that you do eat. Don't worry, it's all typical." She murmured before pulling the ultrasound machine over towards the table. I could feel my heart rate quicken with the waves of oncoming anxiousness.

"I hope the baby isn't too big. I don't want Bella to get hurt." Jake mumbled. I knew there was concern for me behind his words, but I squeezed his hand gently in reassurance. Nothing would make me regret this part of our lives.

"Weight gain can be a little tricky in the first few months, but everything that is happening is completely normal. I'm predicting another 30 to 40 pounds or so. Don't worry, she'll be fine. Bella, please lift your shirt." Dr. Jackson said as she pulled out the gel and I did as she said. She squeezed a decent amount onto my mostly flat belly and it sent chills around my body as she started to rub it in a little. I hated how cold this stuff was. She turned on the machine and started to roll the transducer probe around my belly; trying to find the right view of our baby. It only took a few seconds before she looked over her shoulder at us with a smile. "There we go."

I couldn't contain my happiness as the small peanut shaped baby came onto the screen. Jake squeezed my hand lightly again as he was mesmerized by the screen. It was such an incredible feeling that brought immense joy to me every time we got to look at our little bundle of joy. Any thoughts of doubt that I ever had went away when I could see the little being inside of me. It didn't matter if I gained extra weight or got horrible stretch marks; this little baby was worth every ounce of it. I couldn't wait to meet my son or daughter.

It felt like all too soon the appointment was over and we were heading home with our new sonogram pictures. I sent Renee an updated one after every appointment and she would call gushing about how excited she is. Charlie kept his pictures of the baby on the fridge and he was even excited each time I gave him an updated one. I smiled softly down at the picture of my baby before looking over to my handsome husband.

"Do you think we're having a boy or girl?" My voice was soft as I questioned. Jake looked over at me with a small smile of his own before looking back to the road.

"Definitely a girl." I could hear the excitement laced in his voice easily. I could imagine Jake being wrapped around our daughter's finger immediately. My heart swelled with happiness at picturing Jake with our child. He'd be such a wonderful father, everything about him screamed so.

"I think so too." He looked over at me with another smile that made my heart flutter before taking one of my hands in his as we continued our ride home.

* * *

><p><strong>April 2009 (4 Months)<strong>

"I think I'm pregnant too." Jake groaned out loudly from his spot on the couch. I looked over to him from the recliner and giggled; my poor husband. Ever since the last week in my third month, Jake had suffered similar symptoms to what I had. Dr. Jackson called it couvade or hatching, but Jake still wouldn't give up the fight that he was pregnant too. He had been nauseous and having a stomach-ache for the last couple of weeks. He also gained a few pounds and experienced a change in appetite. He was miserable, but I was amused that he was able to experience this with me; it might have been worse since the whole imprinting thing.

"Sweetheart, you're not pregnant." I chuckled softly before moving to sit with his head in my lap. I stroked his hair softly as he grumbled once more.

"It sure does feel like it." Jake jutted out his bottom lip which caused me to giggle again. He was completely adorable, even when not feeling good. "It's not fair that you've had energy these last couple of weeks while I've felt like crap." He whined while turning onto his side and burying his face in my belly.

"I had my turn with it." I teased while rubbing his back soothingly. Jake mumbled something unintelligible into my stomach before dozing off into a light sleep. The feelings of happiness surrounded me quickly. There was nothing that could compare to what Jake did for me, even in the simplest of ways.

I had decided that the fourth month of pregnancy is one of the better months. My skin and hair were bright and glowing with all my new hormones. My morning sickness had subsided and I actually had more energy. My bump was starting to become more defined and it looked like I was pregnant instead of just tubby. My normal clothes were becoming tighter and tighter as weeks passed, so I usually settled for one of Jake's t-shirts and sweatpants.

Emily told me I was going to be forced into wearing summer dresses when it was warm enough; I don't think I could stop her, even if I actually tried. I'm sure I wouldn't mind; Emily had been one of my biggest supporters throughout this time and it was the least I could do to please her. It was one of the best feelings to know that she was there for me throughout the thick and thin and I'd never lose her as my best friend. She was doing more than enough to help out during my pregnancy, including going with me to my doctor's appointments when Jake had to work.

"Maybe we'll hear the heartbeat today!" Emily exclaimed excitedly from the passenger seat of my truck. The excitement ran through me like an electric shock, but also a little disappoint that Jake would miss it if we could hear it.

"I hope so. I wish Jake would be able to hear it too." I murmured quietly, mostly to myself as I continued the drive into Forks.

"We could send him a video!" Emily suggested with a voice full of enthusiasm. I smiled over to her and nodded in agreement. No wonder why she was like my other half!

"We've got to get lunch after the appointment. I really want ribs." My stomach growled along with the thoughts running through my brain. Emily chuckled and softly poked my belly.

"There is definitely a wolf in there." She mused while I laughed along with her. No doubt about it. I pulled into Dr. Jackson's office building and parked closest to the door as I could. It didn't take us long to get checked in and into an examination room. It was difficult to control the bouncing of my leg as my impatience grew. "Calm down, Bella." Emily said with a light laugh, putting her hand on my knee to stop my noisy movements. I rolled my eyes at her and settled from twiddling my thumbs together.

"I always get anxious for my appointments." I told her nonchalantly as I looked around the medium sized room. There were a few paintings on the walls and a container with pregnancy pamphlets, but other than that the room had naked walls.

"I run into that a lot." Dr. Jackson said as she walked into the room, obviously catching what I had said. I shot her a small smile as she greeted Emily and I. We ran through the basics of every appointment and soon I was lying back on the cushioned table with my shirt rolled up and the icy gel being spread around my tummy.

"Will we be able to hear the heartbeat?" Emily asked in an excited tone. Dr. Jackson laughed at her eagerness while she set up the machine.

"It's a possibility. Bella is nearing the end of the fourth month, so it's likely we'll be able to hear something, but every patient is different. You should be able to start feeling the baby move within the next couple of weeks." Dr. Jackson explained in a matter of fact, but casual tone as she continued to mess with the ultrasound machine.

"What about the gender? When are we able to find that out?" Emily questioned once more. I looked at her and she just smiled in response.

"We should be able to tell around the middle of the 5th month." Dr. Jackson stated before turning back towards me. "Let's see if we can hear that little munchkin's heartbeat." She smiled before pressing the probe into my belly. She rolled it around for a bit, causing the ticklish sensation I always got. It wasn't long before my little peanut appeared on the screen of the machine. A swooshing pitter patter sound started to come from the machine and I heard my breath catch. I looked to Dr. Jackson with questioning eyes and she nodded with a smile. "That's a healthy heartbeat for a healthy baby."

Tears began to spill over my eyes as they remained glued onto the screen. Everything felt surreal in that very moment. Chills covered my entire body from head to toe, making the small hairs on my arms stand at attention. The life inside of me came even more alive with the sound of a heartbeat and it made my heart fill with an entirely new happiness. The sound was like music to my ears; a personal lullaby that I would never tire of.

I could hear a happy cry come from Emily as her eyes were on the small screen that held the image of my baby. She wiped the tears from her eyes before pulling out her phone and starting a video. She pointed it at me and moved her mouth for a cue to talk. "Hey baby, we're at the doctor's right now and we have a surprise for you; here is our baby's heartbeat." I mumbled out as clearly as I could through my tears with a smile. Emily moved her phone to focus on the monitor as the little pitter patter continued to fill the room. Time passed too quickly and I was saddened when we left. I wished to listen to the heartbeat all day.

"What a blessing…" Emily murmured from the passenger's seat once again. I couldn't agree more; this entire life was a blessing that I never thought I would have or deserve.

* * *

><p><strong>May 2009 (5 Months)<strong>

**We're skipping a few months after this so you won't get bored with all the fun pregnancy facts. **

I am just about halfway through my 5th month of pregnancy and so far it has been a lot better than the previous months. I've had an increase in my appetite which Jake likes to tease me constantly about. I've also gained another ten pounds or so and you can definitely tell I'm pregnant. There's no way to hide this bulging baby anymore, not even with sweatshirts, but as Emily says, I wear my bump proudly. I've been fortunate enough to have minor stretch marks so far, but they still worry me slightly. Jake constantly reminds me of how beautiful I am to him which always boosts my self-confidence. I have no idea where the time is going between work, school, and doctor's appointments. We were going to start shopping for our baby once we found out the gender, which would hopefully be later today.

"Did you know that your uterus is compared to the size of a cantaloupe now?" Jake asked in an excited tone while looking up from one of our many baby books. I glanced over to him from my spot in the recliner and smiled softly.

"I think that's about right." I murmured, softly running my hand across my bump. A gasp left me as a sudden movement occurred in my stomach. It felt like a surge of gas ran through me and left a tingling sensation all over.

"Bella, what's wrong? Are you okay? Is the baby okay?" Jake's voice was rushed and full of panic as he moved from his seat to crouch on the ground next to me. I ran my hand across my stomach very slowly again and felt the same gurgling sensation. I felt the tears start to stream down my face as I looked into Jake's worried eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off by grabbing his hand and placing it on the left side of my belly. He looked at me with confusion before I felt the sensation again. Jake's eyes went wider more quickly than I thought possible as he looked between the bump and I.

"That's our baby moving…" I murmured softly, resting my hand on his as our little bundle kept moving around inside of me. Jake had his mouth open slightly as his expression was one of awe and adoration.

"That's incredible. I love you so much." He whispered before placing a gentle kiss in the center of my stomach. As if on cue, the baby moved once more and I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face.

"Let's get to our appointment so we can find out if this little love bug is a girl or boy." I nearly knocked Jake over as I got to my feet and started skipping towards the door while his laughter resounded behind me. The excitement was pulsating through my views at the thought of finding out if we were having a daughter or son, and I couldn't wait to get there.

Naturally, it felt like it took forever to get back into our examination room. Everything was going at a deathly slow pace from the regular check up to the questions, but finally it was time to see our baby. Jake would finally get to hear our little peanut's heartbeat for himself and I could barely contain my enthusiasm.

"I see you are very anxious today, Bella. Hoping to see the gender?" Dr. Jackson mused as she spread the gel across my bump. I laughed out softly and nodded.

"I just know we will be able to." I murmured before she put the probe to my stomach and started moving it around to find the view of the baby. The little swish swoosh thump filled the room and Jake tightened his grip on my hand. His eyes were filled with the same look of adoration that I have witnessed throughout my pregnancy. They filled with a love that I knew only he and I could ever share. I squeezed his hand gently and smiled at the incredible man. The thought would never leave my head of how lucky I was.

"It looks like you're in luck. The baby is in just the right position." Dr. Jackson said while moving the probe and pushing down slightly. I wanted to scream with excitement, but I found a way to control myself. It felt like everything went into slow motion for the next few moments because of how excited I was. It was like time couldn't keep up with me.

"So, what is it, Doc?" Jake questioned with his own eagerness. Dr. Jackson smiled at both Jake and I before pointing to the monitor.

"Congratulations. You're having a boy."

* * *

><p><strong>September 2009 (9 Months Pregnant)<strong>

I am a walking house or at least that's how it feels. Dr. Jackson wasn't kidding when she said I'd put on 35 more pounds. Our little boy was huge and I didn't need to see him to know that he was going to have the wolf gene. Immediately after finding out the gender, Jake and I told our family and they were more than excited. Charlie and Billy seemed to be the most excited out of everyone and I couldn't wait for them to meet their grandson. They would go on and on about all the different things they were going to do with him. The pack was especially thrilled as well. Everyone couldn't wait to meet little Daniel Ephraim Black; Jake and I came up with his name together after long debates about other names.

We also began our baby shopping right away. I never realized how much stuff babies truly need until I had to go buy it myself. Daniel has everything that he could possibly need and then some. I received a lot of amazing and generous gifts at my baby shower which Emily hosted for me. He has the most adorable bibs and booties that any baby could ever have. I couldn't wait to see him in his outfits and how handsome my son would be. Emily helped Jake and I set up his nursery which was originally the guest bedroom. It was a beautiful beige color with safari animal decals covering the walls. There was a dark oak crib with a safari animal mobile and bedding. A rocking chair sat in the corner with another warm and cozy Pendleton blanket draped across the back. Everything was absolutely perfect and I knew Daniel was going to be one of the luckiest and happiest babies.

Emily was a lifesaver throughout this entire time. She has been planning her wedding with a little help from me, but still has never lost tempo in keeping up with my pregnancy. She regularly came to my doctor's appointments and spent time with me every day. She even went out of her way every month to take a picture of my growing bump and then she even got Jake and I professional pictures. There will never be enough words in the universe to describe my love for Emily and how grateful I am for her. Today is her wedding and I am privileged to be the maid of honor, even at nine months pregnant.

Around my 7th month of pregnancy, Jake and I enrolled in birthing classes. The classes really prepared us for the arrival of our baby and we've had an overnight bag packed since the first class. We were both too excited for the arrival of our blessing. Jake almost seemed more enthused than I was, if it were possible. He never missed an appointment and no words could come close to how much that meant to me. Jake was the most supportive person in my life and even more now with our baby on the way. He took care of my every need and comforted me through the hard times. He put up with my crazy mood swings and my whining about aches and pains. He went over and above the average expectations a wife could have of her husband and made me the happiest woman alive.

I smiled softly to myself while rubbing my huge belly. It was still surreal to me that there was a little human inside of me that Jake and I gave life to. I never pictured my life turning out like this, not in a million years, but I wouldn't change a single thing about it. All of the pain and hurt just made the happy times even more special.

Emily was humming a light tune next to me in the backseat of the car. We were parked just a little bit away from the church while guests were filing in. Emily had this weird thing about wanting to walk in through both doors, but I was not one to mess with the bride on her wedding day.

She was beautiful in her extremely traditional Quileute wedding dress. It was beige with turquoise and white beadings on fringe coming down from the front. She barely had any makeup on, but she didn't need it; Emily had natural beauty. Her thick and long black hair was flowing down her back with seamless straightness, and most of all, there was a joyful smile glued to her face. Whenever she doubted her self-confidence because of her scar, I would be the first to lift her back up. She shined brightly like the sun from inside and out.

"You look beautiful. I'm so happy for you and Sam." I murmured while brushing a strand of loose hair behind her ear. Emily looked over at me with a huge smile and I could see the tears brimming in her eyes.

"Thank you, Bella. I don't know what life would be like without him. I also don't know what life would be like without you. You're the best friend that I've ever had and I love you dearly, but that doesn't mean you're going to win the bet." Emily's voice rang out with sincerity and her laughter filled the car.

"You never know…" I laughed while pushing her slightly. Emily giggled once more with bright eyes. She reached out and placed a hand on my pregnant tummy. Daniel responded to the touch and shifted slightly, causing Emily's eyes to go wide with delight. She is going to be such a good Godmother.

"Maybe this little booger with come out today to be a special guest at the wedding." She looked up with mischievous eyes and I shook my head with laughter. Jake appeared outside of the doors of the church looking ravishing in his attire. He waved his arm and motioned that it was time for the bridesmaids and groomsmen to start going in; the wedding was about to begin.

"That's my cue." Emily's eyes were wide as we started to get out of the car. It was a very difficult task for me at this point, considering I couldn't see my own feet, but I wobbled my way over to Jake. He supported me more so than my own body. Emily stood beside the church and smiled. I could see the anticipation written across her face and her heart was nearly coming out of her chest.

"Next time you walk out of these doors, you'll be Mrs. Uley." Jake said to her with an encouraging smile. Emily let out a small laugh before motioning for us to go inside. I couldn't wait to see my best friend marry her true love; it would be a day to remember.

The wedding was incredibly beautiful, just like the two individuals who tied themselves together. There were no words to describe the happiness I felt by seeing Emily and Sam smile and kiss for the first time as husband and bride. Emily looked the happiest that I had ever seen her and that goes for Sam as well. Imprinting makes no mistakes; you're soul mates and there can be no denial of that. The prayers and the ceremony were perfect for them and made my pregnancy emotions kick into overdrive with the tears.

The entire ceremony made me nostalgic about my own wedding. It was crazy to think that Jake and I would be married for a year in just another month. By the time our anniversary rolled around, we would have our son in our arms. I had always had a stigma about girls who got married young and had children at a young age, but that vanished when it became my own amazing life.

The reception was equally as beautiful as the wedding. It reminded me so much of my own, but it had Emily's unique twist on it. People were dancing, singing, laughing, joking, and having a good time all around the area. It was such a pleasant atmosphere and even the grumpiest person would smile from it. The entire moment and scenery looked like it belonged in a romance movie.

I smiled at Jake from my seat at our table. I had been having cramps and achy feet so I decided to hold off on breaking out the famous Bella dance moves, not that they existed. Jake was happily dancing with Sarah while Quil and Embry were having some sort of dance contest. It would have been nice to be out there with everyone, but I didn't think it'd be a good idea to put a lot of stress on myself with the baby being so close to due.

The cramps had slowly begun to get more painful in the last hour. It was really affecting me, but it was my best friend's wedding so I didn't want to make a scene. I wasn't due for another week or two and this was probably the false labor thing that they talked about in birthing class. I tried my best to brush it off and act normal as the happiness continued on.

"Ready to pop?" Charlie asked with a gruff laugh as he sat next to me at the table. I grinned while gritting my teeth through the pain.

"Nearly." My voice was strained but I tried to hide it with a smile. I'm sure that I looked quite weird, but that was nothing new for me. Progressively, it was becoming harder and harder to do so.

"Everything okay?" Charlie's voice was full of concern as he looked at my flushed face. I nodded and tried to remain nonchalant, but a sharp sensation in my stomach made me cry out. Within seconds, Charlie was on his feet and standing next to me. "What's going on?" His voice was panicked as he grabbed onto my hands.

"I think the baby's coming." I whispered with my own panicked tone.

"Oh Lord."

* * *

><p>Everything after that moment was a blur.<p>

Jake had carried me to the cruiser at Charlie's request and I remember freaking out about my overnight bag. It had my favorite pair of sweats and t-shirt in it that I wanted to have with me, but Jake said we didn't have enough time to grab it ourselves. Emily said she'd go by our house and grab it before they came up to the hospital.

"How far apart are they?" Charlie asked from driver's seat as he sped towards the hospital. Billy was riding in the passenger seat, but he was mainly quiet with his own nerves. Jake's eyes were full of frenzy and panic at our current situation. Birthing class could only prepare you so much. He held my hand as we sat in the backseat of the cruiser. The hospital was about 10 minutes away now and I couldn't wait to get there. It felt like I was out of my own body, but feeling everything at the same time.

"They've been three minutes apart for the last 30 minutes." Jake's voice was shaky. There was no way that I could comfort him at the current moment. Another shot of searing pain spread throughout my body as another contraction hit. I felt a gush of water leave me and I didn't need to look up at Jake to know he was freaking out. "Holy shit Charlie! She either just peed on me or her water broke. I don't know what to do. I don't know what to do." Jake was nearly losing it.

"Everything is going to be okay, Jacob. We're nearly there. Just keep supporting her. You're doing great, son." Charlie's voice rang out with pride and sincerity as he spoke. Even through my haze of pain, that was something I would always remember. It was like Jake snapped back into reality at Charlie's words. He looked to me and I could see the love burning in his eyes, but the special moment didn't last for long as another painful contraction hit, causing me to cry out. The pressure was building and sending a burning sensation across my body along with pounding and stabbing feelings to go with it. Tears had rolled down my face for what felt like the longest time and there was no chance of stopping them.

"I love you, Bella. You're doing great. I wish there was something I could do." He murmured into my ear as he held me to him. I wanted to have room to breathe, but I think Jake needed me close more than I needed him, so I let him hold me. The comforting thought of seeing our son held me together; I repeated it as mantra through my pain.

My labor was a blur of different things after we arrived at the hospital. The florescent lights blinded me as I was moved into a room and hooked to all sorts of machines with less harsh lighting. Charlie and Billy were against the furthest wall in the room with expressions that I was too delusional to decipher. The I.V didn't even bother me with how much of my agony I was in. The doctors barely had time to do that with how fast my labor was moving; must be a wolf thing.

The pain was excruciating as I felt like I was being torn apart from the inside. My body was covered in sweat and I could barely see through the pain. If Jake wasn't a wolf, I'm sure I would have broken his hand from how hard I was squeezing it. I knew it pained him to hear me scream and watch me go through this, but it was all worth it.

After an hour of labor, pushing, crying, screaming, and begging for it to be over, out came Daniel Ephraim Black on September 19th, 2009 at 12:34 a.m.; 9 pounds 7 ounces and 22 inches long.

* * *

><p><strong>Happy Birthday baby Daniel!<strong>

**I know I haven't updated in a while, but at least this is a long chapter full of good fluff and happy stuff!(:**

**I've been busy with my first couple weeks of college and keeping up with all the reading. It's been a fun time so far!**

**Please review! Please review! Please review!**

**Did I mention please review? I really love to hear what people have to say about my fanfiction so if you're reading this, please leave a review and let me know what you thought. Constructive criticism is appreciated! I love hearing from readers so feel free!**

**What to look forward to:**

**Chapter 14: Parenting adventures, Jake changes a diaper, and lots more!**

**Love,**

**GVE**


	15. Baby Love

_**"I see skies of blue,  
>And clouds of white.<br>The bright blessed day,  
>The dark sacred night.<br>And I think to myself,  
>What a wonderful world."<strong>_

_**(What A Wonderful Word - Louis Armstrong)**_

* * *

><p><strong>Title: Bouncing Baby Boy<strong>

**September 2009**

My entire body was sore beyond belief, but even that couldn't wipe the smile off of my face. My little boy was finally here and in my arms. The term little doesn't really fit well, but he was still the most precious thing I had ever seen. It felt like my entire life changed the moment they put him into my arms; all of a sudden, I felt a love like no other and it engrossed my entire being. Now, I know what Renee meant when she would say 'You'll understand when you're a mother.' I would throw myself in front of a train to save this little man.

Daniel was perfect in every way possible. He was the spitting image of Jake, especially from his baby pictures. He had a head full of black hair and dark chocolate eyes. He ended up with a widow's peak like I have, but a russet colored skin. He was going to be a heartbreaker one day. I smiled down once more to my nursing son and then looked to Jake who already had his eyes on us.

"He's perfect." Jake murmured as he brought his chair closer to the hospital bed. He took my hand in his and rubbed soothing circles into it. He brought my hand to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on the backside of palm. "You did great, Bella. I have no words to even describe the love I have for you or our son. You're so strong and I admire you so much. Thank you for blessing me with your love and little Daniel." I felt the hot tears roll out onto my cheeks as Jake spoke. I squeezed his hand in response along with a smile.

"You did good too, Daddy." Jake shot me a bright beam full of pride before turning his head to the opening door of our room. Emily popped her head inside and I could see the excited smile on her face.

"Can we come in?" She whispered softly.

"Yes. He's awake." I called out to her while covering up my chest and wiping the line of milk off of Daniel's tiny chin. His eyes were open as he lay in content in my arms. Emily and Sam entered the room quietly, along with Charlie and Billy. Emily nearly ran over to the bed with a giddy smile. Her eyes welled up with tears as I handed her the swaddled baby. Sam came to stand behind her and wrapped his arm around her waist as they looked down at my son.

"How much did he weigh?" Emily asked after a moment of silence. Her eyes were tear filled as she had a huge smile on her face.

"9 pounds 7 ounces." I answered with an exhausted sigh. That child was huge and he would hear about it for the rest of his life. Both Emily and Sam got wide eyes before letting out a laugh.

"That's a big boy." Sam commented while softly stroking Daniel's cheek. It was a beautiful sight to see my best friend and her husband holding my son adoringly. It brought a warm feeling inside of me to know just how much he would be loved.

"I swear I won't miss the next one." Emily said with a regretful tone and a small smile towards me. I laughed and shook my head at my crazy best friend.

"I barely popped out this one and you're talking about the next one?" I questioned her incredulously. She paused for a moment before joining in with my laughter.

"I guess someone wanted to come to the wedding." She cooed down to my happy son. Jake laughed from his spot next to me.

"Had to have been the good music." He murmured with amusement. I smiled over to him affectionately. Our exchange ended too soon as there was scuffling coming from outside the door. Suddenly, Seth and Quil burst through the door and landed on the ground with loud thuds. They both had sheepish smiles on their faces.

"I forgot to mention that the whole pack was outside." Billy laughed at the two guys on the ground and shook his head.

"Hey Bella…" Seth laughed nervously as he and Quil stood up. I smiled at the two of them to let them know I wasn't upset.

"You guys can come in." Quil called out of the door and soon people started piling into the room. Billy wasn't kidding when he said the entire pack was here. Daniel was passed around from person to person and it made my heart swell with how much my family loved him already. I was surprised that he wasn't fussy since that was something our baby book said to expect.

It was nice to visit with our friends and family, but after giving birth to Daniel, we had to call it a night early. The pack left understandingly and promised to help out however they could when we brought Daniel home, which would only be in another day or so. Billy had gone with them too, talking about wanting to get some rest from his sore body. Words could not express how grateful I was for the amazing people in my life. This day just didn't feel real, but it made me joyous to know that every last part of it was.

I sighed from my bed as I adjusted slowly, trying to keep movement to a minimum. Jake was already passed out on the small window couch in the hospital room; he looked uncomfortable in the ball he was curled into. I guess hospitals aren't used to having fathers that are nearly 7 feet tall. I looked over to the only guest still awake in the room; Charlie. He was holding a sleeping Daniel close to his chest while looking at him with so much love and joy on his face. The sight made me want to cry from how beautiful it was. I was just as excited to be a Mom as he was to be a Grandpa. Charlie was faintly murmuring soft coos to the sleeping baby boy while snuggling him close. He looked up at me with a proud smile.

"Who would have thought that this is where we would be in this very moment? Your mom is heartbroken that she can't be here until next month, but you know how it is. I'm proud of you, kiddo." Charlie murmured softly while moving ever so slowly to put Daniel in his crib that the hospital offered to us. He laid him down onto the mattress and Daniel didn't stir at all; Charlie was a pro.

"Thank you for supporting me through it all. I love you, Dad." Charlie and I were rarely this affectionate, but it was only appropriate given the day's circumstances. He smiled softly at me before coming to the side of the bed. He bent and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead, lingering for a moment.

"I love you too, Bells. Get some rest, you're going to need it."

* * *

><p>I didn't realize how right Charlie was. It had only been three weeks since bringing Daniel home and I was completely drained. Breastfeeding every couple of hours took a lot out a person, especially when there was laundry to do, dishes to wash, floors to mop, and people to keep in touch with. Sleep was a luxury that I was not very fortunate to get a lot of these days. I would wake up most of the nights with Daniel to feed or change him and other times, I just couldn't sleep, no matter how exhausted my body was. It was difficult, but I couldn't ever deny that I loved being a mother. Daniel was the most precious and important thing in my life. I wouldn't change any of the choices that brought him to me. I was one of the luckiest people alive to have such a beautiful family.<p>

Jake was already such a wonderful father. It warmed my heart every time he was with Daniel. I knew the two of them would have an inseparable bond as he grew up. Jake loved that little boy so much and he was meant to be a father. He would let me sleep through the night and get up to give Daniel a bottle from the pump or change him. He would also try and help me as much as he could around the house, which mainly included holding Daniel while I did things, but I didn't mind. I loved seeing my two boys together.

Most people say that having a baby puts a strain on a marriage, but I think Jake and I were an exception. If Daniel did anything, he brought us closer. I had never felt closer to Jake than I have in the last three weeks. We were spending everyday together with our son and getting into a routine of things. Our romance didn't dwindle at all, even without having sex. We were both still as crazy about each other as the day we became one.

Emily was over nearly every day to see the baby and get in some girl time of her own. She loved being married to Sam, but there was no doubt in my mind that she wouldn't. It brought her and Sam closer together if that were even possible. I kept teasing her that she would still get pregnant by the time they were married for two months, but she didn't seem to be caving in on that bet. I loved having her support and her friendship. It was only the first week of October, but Emily was already making plans for Halloween. She brought a light into my life that only a friend could and I'd always be grateful for that.

I was excited for two different reasons; one, Renee would be flying in next week and two, Daniel would already be a month old! I couldn't believe where all the time was going. He has already gotten bigger and it was such a surprise to me. I wanted him to stay little forever and ever. I couldn't anticipate how much he was going to grown in the next year, but I knew I had to cherish his time as a small baby. I took pictures of him constantly and we already had tons of them framed around our house. We would get professional pictures from Emily done when he is around 6 months then again for his first birthday. I didn't realize how sad I was the Renee wasn't able to make it out sooner, but I was completely understanding about it. I knew things come up and Phil wasn't the most supportive, so I wasn't mad at her in any sense. I couldn't wait for Renee to meet my little man. I knew she was going to cry, but who doesn't when they meet their first grandson?

Jake's loud gawk brought me out of my thoughts. I looked up from the rocking chair in Daniel's nursery over to Jake who was currently changing him. Jake turned towards me with a disgusted expression on his face as he looked down at his shirt. There was poop spread all across the bottom of his shirt. Jake looked absolutely mortified as he kept looking between the shirt, Daniel, and me.

"He just shit on me!" Jake cried out, trying to control his gagging. I nearly fell out of the rocking chair with my laughter. Jake sent a glare over to me as he ripped his shirt off and finished changing Daniel. He picked him up in his arms and looked down at the precious baby boy. He attempted to have a stern look, but it quickly faded.

"There is no denying that he's your son." I murmured, still shaking with light laughter as I moved to join him in looking at our son. Jake stuck his tongue out at me before looking back at Daniel.

"No more pooping on Daddy." He mused while smiling down at him. Daniel gave an adorable smile in reflex to Jake's words and I couldn't help but feel the happiness spread throughout my being. I smiled in content at the sight of my small, beautiful family.

* * *

><p>I anxiously paced back and forth in the averagely packed airport in Port Angeles. Renee's flight landed a few minutes ago and I couldn't wait to see my mom. Jake and Billy had both teased me saying that I would walk a hole into the ground, but it didn't matter, I couldn't stand still for the life of me. Charlie had just finished burping Daniel. He had asked me in private if he could hand him to Renee and I had no objections. I adored how shy Charlie was about things, but I kept mum about it.<p>

I saw her coming down the escalator and tried to control my bouncing. Jake laughed and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. She was adorned in fall clothing with her hair in a classic Renee style, a short bob with some spikes. She had always been eccentric and I loved that about her. Renee ran down the rest of the steps with an abundant cry of happiness as she threw her arms around me. I breathed in her scent, remembering how she always smelled like her favorite rose lotion. I felt the tears falling from my eyes as we communicated without words. I didn't realize how much I missed her until she was here in front of me. We always had a close bond, even in distance. It felt like forever that I stood there holding my mom, but we finally let go of each other. Her makeup was smeared across her face, but she had a big smile written across it.

"Hi." She squeaked out hoarsely from her crying voice. We all laughed and shared a smile with her. Charlie walked up to her slowly with Daniel in his arms. Immediately, she began to cry again as she took the little boy into her own arms. Charlie smiled lovingly before backing away towards his spot with Billy.

"Meet your grandson." I murmured softly as I wrapped an arm around her waist and rested my head on her shoulder. She smiled and started cooing sweet, loving things to my son.

"He's beautiful, Bella. You and Jake did a good job." Renee cried out softly while stroking Daniel's cheek with her finger. My heart swelled with happiness from the love my son had. This was complete and utter bliss in this packed airport on an October morning. There was no better feeling than being a mother and I would cherish every moment like it was going to end.

* * *

><p><strong>Hey loves!<strong>

**I'm sorry it has taken me forever to update! I have been super busy with my college classes and trying to keep up with everything. I also just recently got a job as an intern in a high school working in a life skills class that I took for two years, so I'm pretty excited about that.**

**Anyways, I don't have any good excuse to why it has taken me so long to update, but I promise I will crank out chapters faster. I have a few new stories in the works as well, so keep an eye out.**

**Please leave a review and let me know what you thought! I appreciate it so much!**

**Love,**

**GVE**


	16. Life Among Us

_**"In the arms of the angel**_  
><em><strong> fly away from here<strong>_  
><em><strong> from this dark cold hotel room<strong>_  
><em><strong> and the endlessness that you fear<strong>_  
><em><strong> you are pulled from the wreckage<strong>_  
><em><strong> of your silent reverie<strong>_  
><em><strong> you're in the arms of the angel<strong>_  
><em><strong> may you find some comfort here"<strong>_

_**(Angel - Sarah McLachlan) **_

**Title: Living Life**

**September 18****th****, 2010**

* * *

><p>Time was passing through my fingers like the sand from First Beach. I had no grasp over it and it was a scary feeling. I had no idea where the last year went, but man, did it fly by. Jake and I have been married for nearly two years and Daniel just turned a year old. I had just turned 23 and I did not feel like it at all. My life was so different than how I expected it to be. My little baby was growing up and I hated it. I wish that I could keep him small forever and ever. He started teething, crawling, babbling, and even walking. I couldn't believe how much he had grown in just a year. Anytime we were in town, people would ask how old he was and give me an incredulous look when I answered. He was definitely in the top of his chart for height and weight. He loves getting into anything that he possibly can and he is so mischievous. He gives these big eyes when he knows he's caught and it makes me give in every time! Daniel and Sarah loved playing together and it was the cutest thing I had ever seen. I already know that he will be my little baby forever.<p>

It was hard to believe that we were having his first birthday party today. Emily and I had planned and set up everything in the theme of a dinosaur party. Daniel loved dinosaurs and we had tons of books on them already. I could see how he was so much like Jake in just his one year of life. It was simply beautiful to see his father come out in him.

I sighed as I looked over the masterpiece we created in the infamous clearing where we have all of our events. I felt a surge of pride course through me at the sight of the streamers, balloons, picnic tables, play area, and cake. Dinosaurs covered everything that we used to decorate and it was an odd sight for the reservation. Emily's hand on my shoulder startled me as she came up behind me. I turned to face my best friend and she met me with a smile.

"He has got to be the most spoiled and happy one year old I know." Emily mused with laughter as she looked over all the decorations we put up. I grinned at her and shrugged my shoulder.

"It doesn't feel like spoiling when I'm doing it, but I think that's a mom thing." My heart still fluttered at the word mom and I smiled again to myself.

"Maybe I'll understand the feeling in nine months." Emily shrugged before walking towards the clearing. I laughed at my crazy best friend and began to follow her until I froze in my place. The meaning behind her words hit me and I felt my breath hitch in my throat.

"Em…" I stammered out her name as the realization kept sinking further and further into my being. She turned extremely slow and dramatic like towards me with a huge smile plastered onto her face.

"Coming to a rez near you in June 2011."

"Emily!" I couldn't control the excited scream that left me as I closed the distance between us, wrapping Emily into a huge hug. I couldn't help the tears that fell from my eyes at my happiness for my best friend. I could tell Emily was crying too and it only made me cry harder. "I'm so happy for you and Sam!" I smiled at her finally after we pulled apart. Emily wiped the tears from her eyes and gave me a smile in return.

"You lost the bet." She smirked after a moment. I rolled my eyes with amusement.

"I lost that a long time ago. Jake and I had our own bet going on, to tell you the truth." I returned her smirk with my own sassiness. Emily's eyes widened as she raised an eyebrow towards me.

"Oh really?" She asked; her voice layered with sarcasm. I stuck my tongue out to her in response.

"Jake said that you and Sam would have a baby by 2012 and I said you would have one by 2011. I am just so sad to break the news to him that I won." Emily chuckled and rolled her eyes.

"You two couldn't be any more in love if you tried. It's gross really." She tried to sound disgusted, but I could see the happiness in her face. We exchanged a smile before it was time for the party to start. Guests started coming from left and right. It was nice to see everyone all at one time since it didn't happen like that too often anymore. Everyone was busy with their own lives and trying to accomplish their own goals, but parties were always a time for reconciling with family. Renee was disappointed that she couldn't afford to come out, but she assured me a million times that she would make it out for Christmas. It wasn't as hard to not have her here for his birthday as it was for his birth, but I would be happy to see her regardless. I knew I wasn't the only one excited for her to come out either; Charlie would be smitten.

Everyone was enjoying each others presence as music from Billy's truck was playing; adding to the entertainment. It seemed like all the men were on their second helping of hamburgers and hot dogs while the women were devouring the fruit punch. It was such a wonderful feeling to have everyone together.

I couldn't control my smile as my two favorite men in the entire world came walking towards me. Daniel looked adorable in his shirt that had a dinosaur on it that said birthday boy. He had little brown moccasins to go with it too. It never ceased to make my heart happy to see Jake with his son. He is such a wonderful father and loves that little boy to pieces. Jake greeted me with a gentle kiss and handed me the birthday boy. One thing I wouldn't get over is how much weight babies gain during their first year. I kissed his chubby cheeks as we moved to start celebrating his life.

It felt like a fairytale. The day had passed by so quickly, but I felt like I was seeing everything in slow motion. We had opened presents together as a family. Daniel absolutely loved the bright red fire truck that Quil got him. Paul and Rachel got him a jumbo puzzle book. Emily and Sam had bought him a bouncing Tigger. Charlie's gift warmed my heart since he got him a story book that he recorded himself reading out loud. Daniel didn't get a lot of gifts, but it still meant so much to me that my family cared about him so much. I was thankful for Charlie taking pictures the entire time on my camera because some of the faces he made were priceless.

Not long after opening his presents, it was time to have cake and ice cream. I had made Daniel his very own small vanilla cake in the shape of a dinosaur. Baking was never my thing, but I was super proud of how good this cake came out! It wouldn't make a difference to him, but to me, it made all of the difference.

After everyone had their share of cake and ice cream, we all spent time together; talking, laughing, and listening to music. My heart was full of happiness at how successful my son's first birthday party was. Jake surprised me as he came up behind my chair and whispered in my ear.

"Can I have this dance with my beautiful wife and son?" He said and I felt the chills run down my spine. It was crazy that he could still bring me butterflies. I smiled at him and nodded as I stood with Daniel in my arms.

"Let's go dance with Daddy." I murmured to him and he giggled in response. We headed out to the small little opening in the middle of our family and began to dance together as a family. I rested my head on Jake's chest while Daniel rested his on mine. It wasn't long before the birthday boy was sleeping peacefully as Jake and I kept swaying to the beat of a country lullaby.

Bliss.

* * *

><p><strong>Two Years and Some Months Later<strong>

**November 13****th****, 2011**

It was that time on the Rez again where everyone was excited for the upcoming weeks. Thanksgiving was coming and you would be oblivious if you couldn't feel the excitement from nearly everyone. It was a lovely holiday where we all got together to eat, share stories, and have a bon fire. It didn't matter that it wasn't for another week and a half, everyone acted like it was tomorrow. It was a tradition that I was happy to participate in every year.

It was crazy to think that I was now 24 years old, the mother to a 2 year old, married for 3 years, and happier than ever. It was crazy how much things had changed in the last year. I supported Emily throughout her pregnancy just as much as she had supported me through mine. Daniel and I would go with her to almost every doctor's appointment and I threw her a surprise baby shower. My perfect Godson was born on June 11th, 2011 at 2:57 in the afternoon. I was there for every second of the delivery of Samuel Uley Jr into the world. He was one of the most perfect little babies I had ever seen and he was the spitting image of Sam. It made me miss how little Daniel was. Now, my son was running everywhere and talking incredibly well for his age. It might have sprung a little baby fever in me, but I was happy with my little family for the time being.

The birth of Sam Jr wasn't the only surprise that had come about in the last year. A certain couple had gotten pregnant with their second child; Paul and Rachel. They were both thrilled as was everyone. Billy was even excited since this baby was coming from their marriage. There were only happy times now and in the future for as far as all of us could see.

My phone ringing brought me out of my thoughts as I leaned across the couch to answer it.

"Hello?" I asked after a moment of trying to figure out the number on the screen.

"Bella!" I recognized Jessica's exuberant voice on the other side of the phone and smiled. It had been a long time since I had heard from her, so it was a nice surprise.

"Hey Jess, how are you?" I asked while looking to make sure Daniel was still napping in his play pin. He was still sound asleep.

"I'm wonderful! I'm graduating from the university in May! Can you believe it?" She was nearly shrieking with her excitement, but I didn't mind.

"Wow, that's awesome Jess. I'm super proud of you." I said with genuine happiness for her. That meant Angela, Ben, and Eric would also be graduating this year. Man, how time flies.

"Well, I was calling because I wanted to see if you and Jake would want to meet up in Port Angeles with Mike, Angela, Ben, Tyler, Eric, and me? You know, just a small get together to see how everyone has been since it's been a while." Jessica sounded slightly nervous in asking, but I bet it was because she would hope I wouldn't say no.

"Sure, when are you planning that?"

"Later today? Around 1? We all seemed to be available then. Can you make it?" I could hear the excitement in her voice. I pondered over it all for a moment.

"Yeah, Jake and I can be there. He gets off early today." I told her. She squealed and finished telling me where we were all going to meet. I couldn't help to feel the excitement bubbling inside as well. It had been a long time since I had seen any of them. I had quit Newton's awhile ago to stay home with Daniel. I dialed Emily and she answered on the second ring.

"Hey girly girl." She answered into the phone. I laughed at my best friend. She didn't sound tired at all for having a 5 month old baby.

"Hey Em, I have a favor to ask. Jake and I are going to go to Port Angeles to meet up with some of my old high school buddies around 1. I was wondering if you would mind watching Daniel? He's down for a nap right now, so he should be peachy around 1." I asked tentatively. Emily laughed at my use of the word 'peachy'.

"Sure. Bring him over before you guys leave." I smiled into the phone as we hung up. It was a day for straying away from the norm and I was excited.

When Jake came home from work, I told him of the plan and he was excited for a break. Before long, we were dropping a happy Daniel off at Emily's. I kissed my son's head as before he ran to the toy box in their living room. I smiled at Emily once more and gave her a hug before we were off towards Port Angeles.

"This was a bit unexpected, huh?" Jake asked with a smile as we drove quietly towards Port Angeles.

"You could say that, but it'll be nice to catch up with everyone." I sighed happily as I watched the scenery float by. Jake held my hand as we continued our ride in silence. It didn't take too long before we were at the little hole in the wall restaurant Jessica suggested to meet at. It was quaint and decorated with antique pictures.

"Bella!" Jessica called out happily as she motioned for us to come to the table they were all sitting at in the back. I couldn't contain my smile as I greeted my old friends. I was sincerely happy to see them and catch up. Even if they don't realize it, high school was a lot more enjoyable with them being there.

Everyone still looked the same for the most part, except there was a more grown up essence to everyone. Eric and Tyler both grew beards while Angela had gotten a tattoo. Everyone had excitement buzzing around them with the good news of their graduation coming up in a few months.

"Bella, show us a picture of your son now!" Angela squealed excitedly. I laughed and passed around my phone, which had a picture of Daniel and Jake sleeping on the front screen.

"I can't believe this is our lives now." Tyler murmured while shaking his head.

"Who would have thought we'd all be where we are now?" Eric laughed incredulously while passing my phone back to me.

"I'm just glad we're all happy. No more sadness or pain for any of us." Angela said with a gentle smile. I returned it honestly. It truly was a relief to be this happy.

"What's even more exciting is that you guys are all so close to graduating. I'm proud of you all." I received smiles from my friends from my words of encouragement. We continued to munch on appetizers and carry on friendly banter back and forward for a while. My phone ringing interrupted the fun, but I answered immediately once I saw it was Emily.

"Hey Em, what's up?" I asked while the others continued talking quietly. There was nothing but silence on the other side of the phone. "Emily, is everything okay?" I asked once more with a more concern than before.

"No. It's Daniel. Something happened." Emily's voice was completely frenzied and I immediately knew the seriousness of the situation.

Jake heard the entire conversation thanks to his enhanced hearing and was already moving by the time I looked at him. It was all I could do to keep from leaping over everyone in the booth and flying back to La Push.

"I'm sorry guys, I have to go. Something happened at home." I rushed out while Jake was scooting out of the booth. God, I'd push him out of the way if I was strong enough.

"It's okay." Jessica murmured in understanding.

"Keep us updated." Ben said with a nod as Jake and I ran out of the restaurant. It was like another force took over my being. All I knew was that I needed to get to my son. I began frantically calling Emily for more information, but I couldn't get an answer.

"Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! Answer your phone!" I cried while bashing my fists to the dash. Jake grabbed one of my hands and began to rub soothing circles into the back of my palm, but it was useless. Something happened to my baby and there was no calming me, not till I knew he was okay.

Jake's phone began ringing and he answered it. I could see the strained look on his face as the conversation went one sided. He mumbled out an answer and pressed his foot harder on the gas.

"Who was that?" My voice was shaking with my nerves.

"Sam. He said to meet them at the hospital."

My stomach lurched to my feet as we pulled up to the hospital in Forks. I ran through the emergency room doors like a mad woman, which I practically was. I unintentionally shouted at the woman behind the desk and she politely directed me towards where Emily and Sam were waiting.

I stopped in my tracks when I saw Emily. Her shirt was covered in blood. I felt the world become dizzy for a moment before I snapped myself back into reality. Her face was tear-stained and she was shaking terribly. With all the force I could muster, I will my feet to continue running towards her and Sam, with Jake close behind.

"I'm s-s-so sorry." Emily choked out through her panicked crying when I reached her. She was looking at her shaking hands, but I shook her shoulders till she looked at me. Jake was trying to talk to Sam as calmly as he could.

"Emily, what happened? Where's Daniel?" I don't know how I could form coherent sentences through the worry, but the outer body force was controlling everything. Emily's lips quivered as she sank to her knees and began to cry harder. Sam came over to her instantly and wrapped his arms around her affectionately. I sank to my knees with her and shook her shoulders a bit harder, regardless of Sam's hold on her. "Emily! Tell me what happened to my son!" I cried out hysterically.

"H-he was p-playing out-si-de when I heard h-im scream…" Emily managed to get out between her sobs. Tears were rolling down my face and my anger was building. I need to know what happened to him. All of my rationality was out the window at this point. I decided against slapping Emily for a straight answer and ran my hand through my hair.

I was almost combusting with my worry when I heard another sob, but this one wasn't from Emily. My head snapped up and looked at Jake. He was unlike how I had ever seen him before. Tears were rolling out of his eyes freely as he choked on his sobs. I rushed to where he sat on the floor and grabbed his hands.

"Jake, do you know what happened?" I murmured softly, stroking his cheek and making him look at me. His face broke my heart in two.

"He's gone…"

My body had a mind of its own at the point. I ran through the doors into the makeshift rooms separated by curtains. I could hear nurses telling me that I couldn't be back there. The hell I couldn't. I need to find my son. Frantically, I looked into each room until I reached the end where a dozen doctors and nurses were surrounding a bed. I pushed my way through them until I could see the person lying on the bed. My heart shattered into a thousand pieces in that very moment.

My precious baby was lying on the bed, covered with scratches and deep gashes. He looked nothing like the happy baby I had left this morning. His little eyes were closed and his chest wasn't moving. I climbed over him and clutched him to my chest, sobbing hysterically. I stroked his dark hair, not caring that blood was getting all over me. The entire world stopped spinning in that very moment. My baby was gone. My life was taken from me. My entire world was over.

Nothing would ever be the same.

* * *

><p><strong>Whoa.<strong>

**I'm sorry guys.**

**This has been part of the plan for a long time, and it only gets worse.**

**Another apology on another note! I'm sorry for not updating in so long! I've been so busy with college and work. Classes just ended so hopefully I can start writing more! I'd love some reviews for encouragement! Love you stinkers!**

**Love,**

**GVE**


	17. New Changes

_**"I can feel you all around me**_  
><em><strong>Thickening the air I'm breathing<strong>_  
><em><strong>Holding on to what I'm feeling<strong>_  
><em><strong>Savoring this heart that's healing"<strong>_

_**(All Around Me - Flyleaf)**_

**Title: Broken Pieces **

**November 18****th****, 2011**

* * *

><p>Pain.<p>

That was the only word that I knew could bring a little description to everything that I was feeling. It was pure and raw pain. There was no way to sugar coat any of what I felt. It was basically being shot in the chest by a grenade, but trying to function like it never happened.

The doctors had concluded that what attacked my sweet and innocent baby was a wild animal; most likely a bear. Jake and the pack were going to hunt it down after the funeral today.

It had been five days since the light of my world was put out, but it could have been five years for all I knew. I had no concept of time, only pain. If I thought Edward leaving destroyed me, I was confused about what hurt really was. That was nothing compared to the pain of losing my precious baby.

I had never planned a funeral, and I never expected to plan my own child's funeral. Looking at the tiny caskets drove a knife through my heart. I didn't think that I would ever function like I used to. I was almost sure of it.

I sighed while looking into the mirror in the bathroom. I had dark circles under my eyes that looked like they had been there for years, even though it had been a few days. My eyes were puffy and bloodshot from the constant crying and lack of sleep. My throat was scratchy and raw and I couldn't control the shaking of my hands. Emily's head popped up behind me in the mirror. She was still ridden with guilt and blaming herself, after countless times that I assured her it wasn't her fault. I couldn't image what she was going through from her side, but I didn't want my best friend hating her life or herself for a tragic accident.

Emily came and wrapped her arms around me while I rested my head on her shoulder. The pain was swallowing me whole, but I told myself I was going to control myself. The least my son deserved was for his mother to be strong for him. I could feel the hot tears brimming in my eyes and with force I blinked them back.

"Ready?" Emily asked quietly while looking up at me. She stroked my hair gently. I sighed once again and nodded. There was no way I was ready.

We headed over to the church where everyone else was already waiting inside. It was another cloudy day, but it only made me feel sick. Emily kissed the top of my head and went inside to find Sam. I looked at the outside of the church while trying to hold back tears once again. This place was where I had one of the happiest moments of my life, and now it is where I am having one of the worst. Hot hands lay over my shoulders and I leaned back into the much needed embrace of Jake. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have him. Surely, I would be a puddle of tears.

"I love you." He whispered softly, his voice raspy. My heart clenched for my love sharing the grief that I was. I turned to face him and ran my hand across his smooth cheek, savoring his warmth.

"I love you too." It was the only solid ground that I had to stand on. I love Jake with all I am and that was the only real thing happening right now. He laced his long fingers with mine as we silently entered the church.

My heart leapt to my feet and my stomach lurched to my throat when I saw the little white casket sitting at the front of the church. My feet stopped instantly and my knees buckled. Jake grabbed me by the elbow and kept me standing. The church had white roses everywhere along with a large portrait of Daniel next to his casket. Jake gently squeezed my arm and we continued to our seats in the front pew.

It was all a blur. I remember being hugged by what felt like hundreds of people and receiving condolences that held no healing. Then the time came for the funeral to start. I gripped Jake's hand tightly as well as Charlie's who sat on my left. The pastor spoke, but none of his words made it to me. I couldn't take my eyes off of the casket that held my entire world inside of it. I knew I cried the entire time and went through an entire box of tissues by myself. It didn't matter. None of it matter. The only thing that mattered was lying in the small box in the front of the church.

My heart ached as everyone slowly began filing to the front of the church and placing their hand on the casket to say a prayer. When it came time for Jake and I to say the final goodbye, I came undone. Everything that I had been holding in came out as I collapsed on top of the casket.

"Baby, I love you more than all the stars and the moons. You are going to have so much fun playing with all the dinosaurs and riding the clouds. I miss you so much." I could hardly understand what I was saying, but it didn't matter once again. This is my son.

It felt like a movie and I was forced to watch. We all made our way out of the church and went around the back of it to the burial site. I felt my heart being lowered into the grave with my son. Everyone tossed a rose inside along with saying another prayer. Jake held me close so I wouldn't jump in.

It was a process that was less than a half hour long, but once everyone said their last goodbyes, it was time for the reception. My feet were glued to the dirt at the front of his burial site. I could feel Jake's presence beside me.

"Baby, it's time to head out to the clearing." He murmured softly, rubbing my arms slowly. I didn't budge.

"You go ahead. I'll be there in a minute." I whispered quietly, my voice void of any emotion other than pain. Jake sighed, knowing there was no way to force me, and kissed the top of my head before heading to the normal spot for any event here on the Rez.

I continued to stand in front of my son's resting place as the groundskeeper came over and began to pile the dirt on top of the casket. With each drop of dirt from the shovel, I felt my heart grow heavier and heavier. There was no way to manage the pain whatsoever. Finally, the groundskeeper finished and the hole was filled.

"I love you Daniel." I cried out softly while laying the last white rose on top of the mound of dirt. With all the strength I could muster up, I turned and walked away from my son.

* * *

><p><strong>January 28<strong>**th****, 2012**

It has been two months since we lost our Daniel. Once more, time was deceiving and felt like 2 years. I was always told things get easier with time, but I don't see how this could get any easier to manage. I had experienced depression before when Edward left me, but this is a million times worse than that ever was. It feels like a dark cloud is surrounding me constantly. No matter how hard I try, I just can't seem to find any reason to smile. My heart is missing.

What brings me even more pain is knowing that Jake is suffering through the exact same thing. I had never known Jake to be depressed, but when you lose the light of your life, I guess it could happen to anyone. I wanted so badly to take away his pain, but we both understood nothing we say or do will lessen any of our pain.

About a week after the funeral, Jake and I began going to counseling. As much as I want to say it hasn't helped, I think it really has. It puts you in a different place with someone who knows nothing of the grief you are going through and you can just be in it, without trying to please others. The counselor asks really good questions to that always make me cry, but afterwards, I feel like I achieved a small battle. It also helped Jake and I to keep communicating with one another.

Jake and I were flying out to Jacksonville later today to visit Renee for a couple weeks. She needed us there just as much as I needed to be with her. She said she had some news but it could wait until we were actually there. I was thankful that the packing actually gave me something to do. I was also looking forward to being away from La Push for a while. Being home was one of the hardest things to do. Jake and I had packed away all of Daniel's stuff and put it in the attic. Neither of us could bear looking at all of Daniel's things every day. We packed away his room and kept the door shut at all times. Both of us have caught one another sitting in the lone rocking chair in the room at the craziest times, but we also understood each other's pain.

It seemed that time flew by and we were already landing in Jacksonville. I lifted my head from Jake's shoulder as the plane was descending. Our conversations were quiet, but we didn't feel the need to fill every moment with words to act like everything was perfectly okay. I did feel guilt like I was shutting him out, but it wasn't intentional.

"I'm sorry." I murmured softly into his shoulder. Jake stroked my hair softly before gently putting a finger under my chin and bringing my eyes to meet his. I could see the pain in them. It felt like it would always be evident in the deep brown eyes that captivate me. Jake's features were showing the stress and pain of everything we were going through. He definitely did not look like the average 23 year old. His soft stroke on my cheek brought me out of my analysis of his face.

"Why are you apologizing sweetheart?" Jake asked softly with concerned laced deep into his voice. I ran my fingers through his hair as I started explaining.

"I feel afraid that you sometimes think that I am shutting you out." I whispered, fear lacing into my own voice. I wanted my husband to know that I still loved him so deeply and passionately and cared for him so incredibly much, even if I didn't express it as much as I used to. I didn't realize I was crying until Jake wiped his thumb across my cheek, wiping the tears away.

"I don't ever feel like that, baby. I know you're hurting and I'm hurting, but that doesn't change the way we feel towards each other. I'm madly in love with you and no amount of hurt or pain will change that for me." He pressed his warm lips to mine gently and pulled away to rest his chin on my head while holding me close. I felt content knowing where we both stood.

Even if we had only been to Jacksonville once, the airport still felt so familiar as Jake and I made our way to where Renee was waiting for us. It was almost déjà vu to the first time we came out together. I squeezed my mom tightly, tears spilling over my eyes once more. I could hear her crying as well as we embraced tighter.

"I love you baby girl." Renee said, pulling back to give me a small smile. I tried to return the smile as best as I could as I pulled her into another hug.

"I love you too, Mom."

* * *

><p><strong>A Few Days Later<strong>

Being in Jacksonville was taking away some of the stress I had been holding in. It was nice to be in the warmth of the sun and to be away from the gloom of home. The familiarity of Renee's house was welcoming as well. Everything was set up the same as it was when Jake and I first came out here, which was odd. Renee was not one for keeping a room looking the same for longer than a couple weeks.

"Mom, why haven't you redecorated everything since we were last here?" I asked her while looking up from my breakfast.

"I dunno. Haven't really felt like it." Renee shrugged, looking up from her i-Pad to meet my gaze. I knew things between her and Phil were even rockier than before, but I didn't want to pry the information out of her. Speaking of Phil, he hadn't been around for the entire time we had been here so far.

"Is everything okay between you and Phil?" Jake spoke up from his plate as well. It was like he had read my mind. I squeezed his hand softly which had been in mine since we sat down to eat. Renee visibly tensed before relaxing.

"Well, I suppose I will give you the news now." Renee's voice was stricken with pain, but she also sounded relieved. "Phil and I are getting a divorce. It turns out he wasn't the person I thought he was." She sighed with an exasperated look across her face.

"Was he hurting you?" I tried to control the anger I had for that thought. Renee nodded while keeping her eyes down. "You deserve so much more than him, Mom." I murmured, getting up to hug her tightly.

"Yeah, I know. You've always been right about most things, Bella." She wept quietly. She pulled back from me and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I just don't know what to do. I can't afford to live here." I could hear the stress she had been holding in releasing itself.

"Come back to Forks with us." Jake said simply, a small smile placed on his lips. Renee and I both almost looked at him incredulously.

"Mom hates the clouds." I muttered, returning to my chair at the table. Renee ran a hand through her short hair and took another drink of her tea.

"I don't think it's a bad idea. I want to be close to my daughter. The rain and cold hasn't bothered me as much as it use to when I was there. Maybe I just realized it's the people you are with and care about that supply endless sunshine, even in the clouds." Renee was pondering out loud. She reached across the table and squeezed my hand softly.

"Are you serious?" I exclaimed excitedly. I'd love having my mom close to us. The distance turns out to be a lot harder as I have gotten older.

"You guys have to help me pack." She laughed her normal eccentric Renee laugh and it brought a genuine smile to my face. I ran over and hugged her tightly once more. Jake's laugh filled the kitchen along with Renee's.

"Of course!"

* * *

><p>It turns out Renee had a lot more to pack than any of us had thought. Our plans had changed from flying back to renting a U-Haul truck and driving back. We had spent the last few days since the conversation in the kitchen packing up all of the stuff she has collected throughout the years. I was just happy that my mom was actually moving back. Jake had told Charlie and Billy that we were going to drive back because we had made a purchase too big for a plane. It was partially true. I knew they would both be excited to have Renee home and it brought some happiness into my heart.<p>

I sighed in content from the bed that Jake and I had been sleeping in. My heart was still completely broken so it was hard to understand how I could feel bits and pieces of happiness over little things. I nearly felt guilty over it. A part of me knew that I shouldn't, but it was completely out of my control.

The lock on the door brought me out of my thoughts as I lifted my head from the satin pillow to look up. Jake had slipped into the room quietly and locked the door behind him. I took in the beautiful scene in front of me. The balcony doors were open and the room was filled with a salty breeze. The sunset made the room look like it was on fire and it gave Jake's russet skin a beautiful glow.

"Hey beautiful." He murmured before walking over to the bed. I slipped into his arms instantly as he got comfortable in the bed next to me. I snuggled into his chest as his large hand rubbed soothing circles into my back. I had one of my legs wrapped over his as I cuddled as close to him as possible. It was quiet for awhile till I broke the silence.

"What are you thinking?" I mumbled into his chest. Jake ran his hand along my side, sending tingles all throughout my body.

"You really want to know?" Jake asked with a sultry tone in his voice. I looked up at him from his chest and was met with his eyes burning into mine. I nodded as his gaze melted me into a puddle. "I'm thinking of how much I love you. I'm thinking about how amazing you are. I'm thinking of how lucky I am to have such a beautiful woman who loves me. Mostly, I'm thinking of how badly I want to do this." His burning lips were on mine then as his hands tangled themselves in my hair. His kiss was full of passion and heat and I returned it with all that I could. Our mouths fought for dominance, but I finally succumbed to him. It wasn't long before things really intensified and needless to say, it was a good thing he locked the door.

* * *

><p>After another three days in Jacksonville we finished packing everything and loaded it all into the U-Haul. I figured the drive was going to be completely horrible. I hated the drive to Arizona for the honeymoon so I didn't see how driving completely across the country was going to be any better than that.<p>

The drive was not as horrendous as it could have been. It was nearly a two day drive, but Jake and I had taken shifts driving. Renee mainly slept in the backseat of the U-Haul. We stopped quite a few times to use the restroom, buy some food, and get snacks for the rest of the trip. It wouldn't have been bad if it was a vacation road trip, but since Jake had to be back a work the day after we were scheduled to get back, we didn't have time to stop and sight see. We drove through 10 different states; Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, and all the way through Washington.

We pulled into Charlie's dirt drive and finally parked for longer than twenty minutes. The thought thrilled me. Billy was at Charlie's today to watch a basketball game so it was getting two birds with one stone. I was so thankful to get out of the U-Haul and stretch my tired and cramped body. Renee was equally as grateful. We quickly slipped into Charlie's house and were met with the sound of the game coming from the living room. We walked into the living room and stood behind the couch where the two men were watching the game.

"Hey Charlie." Renee said, trying to hold back a giggle. Charlie and Billy both nearly leapt off of the couch. Charlie looked scared and concerned till he saw us standing behind them then both he and Billy erupted into laughter.

"What are you doing here?" Charlie asked, still laughing, while coming around to hug Renee. He had a huge smile plastered on his face as did Billy. I knew Charlie never got over Renee and Billy has always loved her like a sister.

"I actually just moved here." Renee laughed her crazy Renee laugh as Charlie's face continued to light up. "Things didn't work out between Phil and I so I came to be closer to the people I care about." I could almost see Charlie doing a happy dance in his mind when Renee confessed her singleness.

"That's great to hear Renee! Where are you gonna stay?" Billy asked her with genuine happiness. It was almost like old days for these three.

"I might stay with Bella and Jake for a while till I can get on my feet." Renee shrugged sheepishly. I controlled my jaw from dropping since it was the first I had heard of it. It's not that I would be opposed to having my mom live with us for a while, but I'm not sure if it is something Jake and I are ready for yet.

"Oh, that's nonsense! Come stay here with me." Charlie interjected, taking Renee off guard. Her eyes were wide, but I swear I could see a glimmer of happiness float into them.

"Are you sure?" Renee asked with uncertainty in her voice.

"He's positive." Billy laughed his gruff laugh which brought the laughter out of all of us. My hopes of my parents getting back together were lifted once more as the deal was set.

* * *

><p><strong>February 23<strong>**rd****, 2012**

It was really nice having Renee home. It had been a couple weeks and everyone was transitioning smoothly. Even with a new happiness to be found, the depression over my son still lingered in my every waking moment. It was like drowning in the ocean when I was home. I had continued with my counseling and it was a help, but there is no full proof way to take away any ounce of this pain. It has become a part of who I am.

What didn't help were the out of the blue mood changes I had been feeling. I had been out of whack for awhile it seemed. Emily was becoming concerned as well.

"Here." Emily said simply, throwing a box on the couch next to me. I rolled my eyes at her before grabbing the box to see what it was. Shock coursed through my body as I held a pregnancy test.

"Come on Em, don't be ridiculous. I'm not pregnant." My tone came across with more annoyance than I intended, but it was true. I couldn't be pregnant. Emily gave me a long eye roll and crossed her arms over her chest in her stubbornness.

"Have you and Jake had sex in the last month?" She asked impatiently, tapping her foot to display it. Emily has no filter and it's one of the many things I love about her. She also didn't care if it was super personal or not. It didn't matter much now with us since we had been best friends for so long.

"We did when we were at my mom's in the beginning of the month, but it doesn't fully support your theory. It would be too early to show many signs of it anyways." I did my best to reason with her so I wouldn't have to do this. I don't think I could handle something like this right now. Then again, I didn't think I could handle it before and Emily was there to speak sense into me.

"Bella, indulge me, please." Emily used the best puppy dog eyes that she could muster. I shook my head no and looked away. I felt her gaze burning into me and I made the wrong decision to look up. The glare she shot me broke down my defense. I huffed and made sure to be dramatic about getting off of the couch in her living room.

"Fine, but it's just a waste of time." I muttered while I walked past her on the way to their bathroom. I tried to control my grumbling as I followed the directions for the test. I handed it to her after I was finished. "Knock yourself out when it comes up."

"I'm definitely feeling good about this. We should have made a bet." Emily laughed at my irritable state and sat down at the kitchen counter. I was surprised our little bit of bickering hadn't stirred Sam Jr who was asleep peacefully in his play pen. I couldn't believe that he was going to be a year old in just a few short months.

"You'd lose." I argued and sat across from her at the counter. Emily's delicate features were truly beautiful as she stared at the little stick in her hands. It seemed like it was forever before she finally spoke again.

"Looks like you lost." She grinned as she passed the stick to me. My eyes nearly came out of my head as I saw the little pink plus sign clearly on the test. I felt like my entire world was spinning and I wanted so badly to succumb to the darkness. What in the world am I supposed to do now?

I just lost my son a few months ago and now I'm going to be bringing another baby into the world. Is this something Jake and I could handle? Is this something he would want? It didn't matter if he didn't want this because there was no way I'd do anything to harm this little baby, but I needed to know. The questions ran at a million miles per hour throughout at my head as the news settled into me.

I had to talk to Jake. Immediately. I looked at the clock on the wall and it was a blessing that he would be on his lunch hour. My fingers barely functioned as I dialed his number on my cell phone and prayed for him to answer on the first ring.

"Hey babe." Jake's beautiful voice drifted over the phone.

"I'm pregnant." I murmured, my voice shaking with the onslaught of anxiety that overcame me. Emily rubbed my back soothingly and I gave her a small smile of appreciation. I could hear coughing over the phone and it sounded like he had spit his drink out.

"What?" It was the simplest response ever, but in the one word, it conveyed everything that I was feeling. After a minute of silence, Jake spoke again. "Are you okay?" He asked with concern filling his voice.

"I don't know. Jake, I need to know if this is something you want. I need to know if you think we can do this." I could hardly contain the panic in my voice as I felt hot tears rolling down my face.

"Of course I want this, sweetheart. Together, I think we will be able to handle it. I know you're freaking out right now and I want you to take a deep breath. Everything is going to be okay. We can do this. We'll talk more about it when I get home, okay?" Jake's calm voice instantly soothed my fears and a weight was lifted off of my shoulders. I didn't realize how much easier it became to breathe after he answered.

"Okay. I'm sorry to overwhelm you at work, but I needed to know." I could hear him laugh softly on the phone.

"I love you, my sweet Bella." I could hear the love he was expressing burning in his voice.

"I love you too."

I didn't know how ready I was for this, but I know that with the love of my life by my side, we could accomplish this together. I held onto that hope with all I had. The future was bound to be something else entirely. We could do it. We'll make it together.

* * *

><p><strong>Hello my beautiful readers! I hope you are enjoying the story so far! Bella's pregnant again! I'm not going to go through the pregnancy like I did in the previous chapters when she had Daniel. I know it can be pretty boring so I'll try to spare everyone the torture. This is a key point in my plot so you know! :)<strong>

**I would really appreciate some reviews! I like seeing what people have to say! **

**Looking forward: LOL! Be ready!**

**In other news, I made a Twitter for my Fanfiction account. If you'd like to follow me on there, it's a quick way to reach me and get updates. So follow me GoldVampEyes**

**Happy Reading! **

**Love,**

**GVE**


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